Upheaval: Reckoning
by Visiden Visidane
Summary: Sequel to Breaking Point. The war rages on in Equestria as the Heartland is drawn in.
1. Dragons and Ponies

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 1: Dragons and Ponies**

__My beloved subjects,  
><em>_

__I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, am well aware of the apprehension I have put the realm through during these recent times. It is time I told everypony the truth behind the banishment of my faithful student and her loyal friends.  
><em>_

__Equestria is under attack, my little ponies. It has been under attack throughout the centuries. At the borders of our realm, my brother, Prince Terrato, continues to lead the Equestrian Legion in protecting our home. In my desperation to protect all of you from the horrors of this conflict, I have kept it a secret from everypony. My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, wanted to share this secret with all of Equestria for which I banished her. The only "unspeakable crime" committed was mine.  
><em>_

__I humbly ask for forgiveness from each and every one of you for this secrecy. I allowed myself to be blinded by my own prejudice towards those who I have been counting on. I have failed as your princess to adhere to the same honesty that I have asked all of you to live your lives in all this time. All I can offer is that I face my own punishment for this and that, henceforth, there will be no secrets like this ever again.__

__Now that the truth has been revealed, it is time to act upon it. The war continues to rage throughout Equestria's borders. My brother and the Equestrian Legion have been pushed to their limits and they need our help. So dire is the situation in our borders that it has become necessary to call upon everypony in Equestria do its share. Soon, you will meet your defenders for the first time. They will ask that each family to have at least one member to join them. My heart goes out to those who must serve in this new duty. Know that if there was any other way to keep our home safe, I would not ask this of any of you.__

_I ask that you see the ponies of the Equestrian Legion as your long lost fellow ponies and not as foreign invaders. If Equestria is to survive in this difficult time, all of us must work together in harmony. I will return to Canterlot soon. For now, my siblings, Terrato and Luna must see to the royal duties that must be tended to. Please treat them with both respect and understanding._

Within his quarters, Terrato found himself frowning at the end of the decree he was reading. Celestia's royal seal marked the document as genuine and he knew that copies were likely already circulating the Heartland. Behind him, he could hear a sigh come from his younger sister, who was also reading a copy.

"I know that this is necessary but it does seem quite sad. Don't you think so, big brother?" Luna asked.

"What it seems is a little too sensitive," Terrato replied. "It can stand to be a bit more authoritative."

"Big sister has never been one to impose authority on the Heartland's ponies."

"Is that why her capital is full of fops?"

Luna let out another sigh. "Of all the cities in the Heartland, you had to visit Canterlot," she said. "There are plenty of places that could have been more to your approval. You should have visited an earth pony settlement since you have a fondness for them."

"Forgive me for assuming that a realm's capital would be a good representation of its ponies in general," Terrato replied. He set the decree aside. "I want you to go to the Heartland ahead of me, Luna. Settle their nerves a little before I show up."

"And by 'settle their nerves', you really mean 'settle the barrage of questions this decree will set off by myself', don't you?"

"That's true too," Terrato said sheepishly. His tone grew serious quickly. "But that doesn't mean that my point doesn't stand. I have a few more details to take care of here as well. One of them should be responding soon." As if on cue, his horn suddenly glowed. "About time," he muttered. He pointed his horn at the center of the room and an image began to materialize.

Luna couldn't help but gasp as the massive image of a dragon, a mere dragon's head, nearly filled the room. Its individual scales were bigger than her hoof and as black as night itself. The four massive, sweeping horns were what commanded Luna's attention. They curled around each other in an elaborate fashion until they resembled a crown. Despite the long time she spent away from this world, she had no problem identifying the sort of being with such an arrogant feature: Pride Dragon.

"The annoying frequency of your attempts at contact tells me that this is urgent, Prince Terrato," the dragon spoke. Luna could hear its rumbling voice echo in the cave it was likely in. "What business do you have with me?"

"Celestia's barrier has come down, Afralhadar, don't tell me you haven't noticed," Terrato replied.

"The affairs of ponies are beneath my notice. What concern is it of mine that your sister has come out of hiding?"

"I'm not talking about ponies. I'm talking about the dragons that have been living inside the barrier. The enchantments on them will have disappeared as well and it's only a matter of time before they start feeling the effects. I can only imagine that they've developed a different set of traditions than the ones you approve of. I can also imagine what they'll do once they start acting on their newly revived wilder instincts."

Afralhadar paused for a moment. An enormous claw appeared in the image to scratch the scales under his chin. "Dracodar behaving like animals. You are right in bringing this matter to me after all. The Draco'dim will see to this affair." The image disappeared afterwards, leaving the two by themselves.

It was Luna who decided to speak first. "I know that the Heartland's dragons will start regaining their more violent sides, big brother, but what did you just ask that pride dragon to do?"

"Afralhadar is a prominent member of the Draco'dim," Terrato replied. "They're a loose coalition of some of the oldest dragons around and the closest we'll get to any form of organized government among them. I just asked them to keep the Heartland dragons in line with Celestia's enchantments likely fading.

"Can you trust them to just go into the Heartland without harming the ponies within?" Luna asked.

"They might do that but I doubt it. The Draco'dim consider ponies low-class fare. Unless one of them somehow starves while they're there, the Heartland should be safe. A few eaten ponies will also a better alternative to a bunch of dragons rampaging about."

"Just what exactly are they going to do there?"

"Draco'dim means "high dragons" in their tongue. They're not interested in ruling but they do follow a strict ideal of what it means to be a dragon and that is to carry one's self with a degree of dignity and principle."

"I can imagine that there are a lot of pride dragons in this coalition," Luna added. "I've never heard of this group before."

"Most of them are. They're also relatively new. They started around eight hundred years ago. I don't care much for their ideals but it has been convenient in keeping problems with dragon attacks. They'll make sure that the Heartland dragons don't give them a bad reputation." Terrato frowned as he went on. "I fear that the most likely scenario is that they will cull most of the Heartland dragons. The greed, lust and gluttony ones that are too far gone will certainly be shown no mercy. The rest won't fare better if they insist on resisting the Draco'dim ideal."

Luna shook her head sadly. She was the one who told her brother that the dragons were slowly getting violent but, for the most part, her concern was for the ponies of Equestria. That war and death would also take their toll on the dragons had not really crossed her mind before.

"One more thing," Terrato said. Luna looked up in response. She wasn't expecting anything else before she departed for the Heartland. "Advise me, little sister. It's about that young dragon with the Elements of Harmony."

"His name is Spike."

Terrato raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly a dragon's name."

"He's been raised by ponies and has spent his entire life with Twilight as her assistant. Spike has the body of a dragon but is essentially a pony in everything else."

"At first, I was thinking of sending him to one of the Draco'dim."

"What?" Luna asked incredulously. "Why? Why let a bunch of pride dragons influence him?"

"Because he's looking a little stunted. He's not the first hatchling I've seen living with ponies. Spending a few months in the Western Barrier Land with the right dragon should give him a bit of growth and the proper skills to use his natural weapons. The legion knows little in training dragons."

"Are you doing this simply because you want a better soldier?" Luna asked suspiciously.

"His friends are getting stronger and the front lines aren't exactly a place for an inexperienced hatchling. I need the Elements of Harmony nearby but they don't include him do they?"

"He is still a very important friend to them."

"Then they should be glad that he's being transferred to a safer place even if it's just temporary. It's true that the legion stands to benefit from a stronger Spike but that doesn't mean I haven't considered how this would help him."

"I know that you mean well, big brother, but, from what you've told me, I don't think the Draco'dim would be a good influence on him."

"That's why I said 'at first'," Terrato said with a sigh. "Another problem with that idea is that if the Draco'dim find out that he's been working as Twilight Sparkle's 'assistant' they will kill him and then demand for her head on a platter."

It was Luna's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Then where are you planning on sending him?"

"I know of a safer more reliable companion for him for the next six months or so," Terrato said with an assuring smile. "A servant of mine who won't kill him for being "undignified"."

"You have a dragon legionnaire?" Luna asked in surprise.

The smile lessened. "Not quite. She'll do though."

"I think that you should talk to Spike about this, big brother. Given his need to make up for his part in Black Rose's plans, he just might agree but you shouldn't use that to manipulate him to going along with your plans."

Terrato didn't reply. Instead, his horn flashed gray and the image of his chamberlain materialized. "Rough Cut, I want you to send for Spike the dragon. Have him meet me here in my quarters." Terrato's eyes narrowed as he went on. "He is not to be accompanied by any of his friends, especially Twilight Sparkle."

"Yes, your highness."

"Did you really have to put that emphasis on Twilight?" Luna asked as soon as Rough Cut's image disappeared.

"I want his decision, not his friends', especially not the unicorn who's been giving him orders all his life," Terrato muttered.

"Sounds like somepony I know," Luna remarked. Terrato merely frowned at the jibe and waited. It took less than half an hour to have a very nervous Spike standing before them. Luna put a hoof on her brother's shoulder when she noticed his frown deepen. She knew the signs. Courage and the ability to remain calm before his intimidating presence impressed Terrato, unless it's Twilight Sparkle, while groveling and nervousness irked him.

"Am…am I here because you want to punish me for helping Black Rose?" Spike asked. "Am I going to be whipped?"

"Why would I send you to my quarters to have you whipped?" Terrato asked in annoyance. "Are you accusing me of something, Spike?"

"Big brother…" Luna said soothingly.

Terrato let out a long exhale and spoke of his plan. By the time he was finished, Spike was still staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. His irritation began to grow again as he thought that the dragon hadn't understood a word he had just said. "Well?" he asked impatiently.

Spike eventually found his voice and the courage to use it. "This…this legionnaire you mentioned, what's she like? Is she a dragon?"

"Her name is Seethe Scale. She gets a little broody at times but I think you can work with her. She's a kirin but she'll know enough to help you."

"Kirin?" Confusion spread across Spike's face. "What's that?"

"The unfortunate result of a meeting between a unicorn and a lust dragon. Enough about that. You can take your time in getting to know Seethe Scale once you meet her. So what's your decision, Spike?"

"I want to go."

Both Terrato and Luna's eyes widened at quick response. "Are you sure you don't want to think it through at least?" Terrato asked. "I'm not going to punish you for taking your time on this."

"Please don't think you're being ordered to do this, Spike," Luna added. "You were called here because it's a choice you can make."

"I've made my decision," Spike said firmly. "And I'm not making it rashly either. I've been thinking about my part in all of this fighting these past three days. I can't just stand around worrying while my friends are working and fighting so hard. I promised myself that if there was anything I could do to be of better use, I'd take it."

Luna couldn't help but smile. "That is very noble of you, Spike," she said.

"It's decided then," Terrato said. "Settle your affairs here and I'll have you transported to the Western Barrier Lands."

Spike saluted with a smile. "Yes, sir," he said.

Spike left the room with that. Luna noted the lack of hurry in the dragon's steps anyway. As sure as Spike was, breaking the news to his pony friends isn't something to look forward to. "You should be going to, Luna," Terrato said. "Put in a good word for me, will you?"

"I will, big brother. I'll see you in the Heartland. Oh and one more thing…"

"Yes?"

"Try to have a talk with big sister before going."

Terrato could only snort while his sister weaved her magic and disappeared.

* * *

><p>"Six months?" Twilight said aghast. "Why? Why do you need to be sent away? You're already plenty of help as it is!"<p>

It was nighttime when Spike finally brought the topic up. Everypony had arrived to their shared quarters, having finished today's duties. He had his reasons for delaying so much. For one thing, he was afraid of this sort of reaction from Twilight. For another, he knew that he'd be disturbing them in their duties if he brought it up during the day. It's been three days since the wolven were driven from Bastion City. Soon, they were going to be sent out to the front to help take back FangBreaker Fortress. News had already trickled back to the city that some of the wolven were stubbornly holding on to it and were proving difficult to root out.

"I'm not being sent away, Twilight," Spike said soothingly. "His highness gave me a chance and I'm taking it. I know it sounds like a long time but I'll be back in the spring."

"We're going to miss you, Spike," Fluttershy said with a sad smile.

"Don't say that!" Twilight said with a glare at the yellow pegasus. She looked towards the rest of her friends. "Help me talk him out of it!"

"I dunno, sugar cube," Applejack replied. "He sounds like he's made up his mind. You can't argue with anypony who sounds like that. Or any dragon."

Rainbow Dash, who had started staying in their shared quarters again simply nodded in agreement.

"Let's have a sending off party!" Pinkie said happily. "It will be fun! We can mix it in with our victory celebration!"

"I'll bring the booze!" Scarlet Rabbit offered. He was gone before anypony could even react to that.

"Take care of yourself, Spike," Vanguard said solemnly. "Maybe the next time we meet, we'll be fighting side by side."

Rarity walked over and embraced the baby dragon, who looked ready to faint. "Working with Hammer Chain won't be the same without you, Spikey-wikey. You'll bring back a souvenir or two, won't you?"

The sight of her friends going along with Spike's departure all but deflated Twilight. Spike walked over to her with a sad smile of his own and a hug. "You're really going to go through with this?" she asked him.

"Cheer up, Twilight," Spike said. "I'm more worried about you. At least I'll be somewhere safer while all of you stay in the front line. I'll write to you too. It'll be spring before you know it.

Twilight's lips pressed together in anguish. Her brain agreed completely with the reasons why Spike should make this trip but the rest of her had a more visceral reaction. The Barrier Lands and all the fighting in it seemed like a greedy, uncaring entity. It had taken away a lot from her already and she felt that Spike, despite his assurances that he would return, was the next to go. It wasn't just the length of the time he would be gone. These lands were changing them. As sure as she was that a dragon would return to her in the spring, she wasn't sure that it would be Spike. She could feel the rest of the room focus on her next action. She could keep on resisting. She had a feeling that Spike would not go through with this without some form of approval on her part. But how long would it be before her stubbornness would drive him away anyway? She finally mustered a smile. It felt more like a grimace from the effort she had to put in it but she hoped that Spike saw a smile. "Just…stay safe, Spike," she said. Her expression grew serious. "Tell this Seethe Scale that if I see so much as a scratch on you when you return, she'll have to deal with me!"

Spike chuckled in response. "I will," he said. "And you take care of yourself, Twilight." He turned around and looked at Pinkie. "How about that party?"

Still grinning from ear to ear, Pinkie was already going for the door. "On it!" she sang out.

* * *

><p>For the remainder of the night, Twilight and her friends celebrated. It didn't matter that it was late at night or that she was just one cook in the Logistics' kitchen division. Pinkie promised a party for them when the wolven siege was broken and she promised Spike a party before he left in the morning. True to her word, there was indeed a party ready in the span of less than an hour.<p>

"This much of a spread in such a short time and in such an impromptu start…" Vanguard said breathlessly. "I'm impressed."

Pinkie had managed to scrounge up a turntable from somewhere. The others could only hope it wasn't stolen, even accidentally. The upbeat and fast music encouraged dancing and most of the ponies in the party were already doing so. Vanguard and Twilight, however, stood by the sidelines.

"Don't be impressed yet," Twilight said as she walked over to stand next to Vanguard. She held two plates with cake on them with her telekinesis and offered one to him. "You should see her with her party cannon. This was at a snail's pace compared to that."

Vanguard took the plate with a nod of appreciation. Even as he talked with Twilight, he kept an eye out for Scarlet, who was already helping himself to the bottles of booze he had brought. At the other side of the room, he also noticed Applejack chatting up Rainbow Dash. When he turned his attention back to Twilight, he noticed her giving him a look of what he guessed was concern. The concern turned into awkwardness when she looked away.

"So, uh…that's some interesting music that Pinkie found," Twilight said. "Is it the sort of music that's popular in the Barrier Lands?"

"That's Runthrough's music," Vanguard replied. "It looks like somepony in Bastion City still keeps up with music from the southerly cities. From what I heard around the fortress before, he's a little too traditional for some of the younger legionnaires but his music is still quite danceable."

"Do you like that sort of music?" Twilight asked.

"Not really. Although if you played some of my favorites here, passing ponies will think that there's a funeral going on."

"I see…" Twilight's voice trailed off and she filled the silence by taking a large bite of the cake.

Vanguard watched Twilight quietly while he chewed on a more modest bite of his slice. "Still sad?" he asked after swallowing.

"I can't help it," Twilight replied. "So many things can go wrong with this and that's not even considering that I will miss him."

"There's plenty of time to be sad and miss Spike in the next six months," Vanguard said. He turned his gaze on the middle of the room where Fluttershy, Spike and Pinkie Pie were dancing. "But you won't get to be happy for him until he comes back."

Twilight was quiet for a moment. "That's true," she finally said. Before she could say anything else, Applejack suddenly trotted over to them.

"Don't stand there like a stick in the mud, Vanguard, come and dance with us!" Applejack said with a grin. She grabbed hold of Vanguard's unbarded forelegs and pulled him to the center of the room.

"I don't know any of your chosen dances," Vanguard explained awkwardly.

"Oh horse apples! Stop thinking about chosen and barrier lands ponies for minute and just move those legs!" Applejack turned her attention to Twilight. "You too, Twi," she said.

Twilight let out a long exhale. Vanguard was right of course. She set aside her own melancholy and even the strange twinge in her chest when Applejack danced next to Vanguard while giggling at his awkward steps. She was going to celebrate along with her friends no matter what lay past this night. The smile came less forced this time when she spotted Pinkie at the center of all the dancing. This was her element after all: Joy in the face of all the crushing uncertainties of the Barrier Lands, joy spurred by will not emotion. For tonight, Twilight was going to wield that joy against the fangs of Fenrir and the machinations of Black Rose.

Tomorrow, the rest of the battle will go on.


	2. Right and Wrong

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 2: Right and Wrong**

"My cousin's out making a name for himself with the rest of the offensive and what do I end up with? Guarding Princess Pansy."

With that, Redtail tapped the stone floor lightly and impatiently with her front trampler. Her fellow guard, Lowlight, looked at her askance. "You sure you should be calling her names when she's so close?" he asked.

"Didn't you get a good look at her and hear what's going around the guard?" Redtail asked in return. "She's just some normal pony now. No special hearing powers or whatnot. Those wings and that horn are all probably just there for decoration."

"Interesting that you mentioned special hearing powers," Lowlight said flatly. "You better hope her brother's not using his at the moment."

Silence filled the empty hall afterwards. This was the fourth day since Bastion City was saved from a horde of invading wolven and the two of them were tasked with guarding their prince's eldest sister. For the most part, guarding Princess Celestia was a monotonous wait. She had spent almost the entirety of her first four days in the Barrier Lands resting quietly inside her room. Meals were delivered at a regular basis. More than a few times, Lowlight had to sternly warn his partner about helping herself to them as they were brought. Princess Celestia didn't dine on moss and lichens like most of Bastion City. Instead, fresh dragonspine grass and mountain wildflowers from the Western Barrier Land were wheeled into the princess's quarters. Redtail's mouth watered with each delivery and she scowled viciously when leftovers were taken out.

This morning was different however. When breakfast was finished, both Redtail and Lowlight noticed that the dishes were clean when they were taken away. They took it as a sign that the princess had recovered enough strength. Sure enough, the door to the princess's quarters opened and Princess Celestia stepped out. Both guards snapped into attention.

"Good morning," Celestia greeted them in a pleasant tone. Both of them noticed a hint of tentativeness in her greeting. As they had guessed, Celestia was looking much better since she had first stumbled into her quarters a few days back. Though she towered over them like their prince, she did not have the same intimidating aura as he did. Redtail was dangerously vocal about how that was a sign of weakness, yet one more symptom of both Celestia's loss of power and the centuries she spent hiding from battle.

"Good morning, your highness," Lowlight replied as he saluted. Redtail said nothing but she saluted smartly enough. He was thankful that the heavy barding that all guards wore hid Redtail's face. Unlike his partner, he sort of liked the much softer presence that his prince's sisters had. For him, the differences among his rulers reminded him that there should be more to Equestria than the Legion. Ever since Princess Luna first arrived in Bastion City, he had been entertaining thoughts of a more peaceful Equestria.

"If you don't mind, I wish to speak with my brother."

"As you wish, your highness. We will escort you to him at once." Lowlight took the lead while the princess walked directly behind him. Redtail brought up the rear. Their instructions were clear when it came to guarding the princess. They were to escort her anywhere within the Grand Meeting Hall but Prince Terrato was to be consulted for anywhere beyond that. Nopony save for assigned legionnaires is to be allowed near the princess and any attempt to harm her was to be met with swift and lethal retaliation. Lowlight could not help but be relieved that the princess made her brother her first stop for the day. It wasn't long until they arrived at the doors of Prince Terrato's newly created quarters.

* * *

><p>"He should be arriving within the week," Terrato said.<p>

"I will do as you command, your highness," was Seethe Scale's response. Despite her name, she answered in a completely neutral tone. Terrato had come to expect that from her. Even when he had mentioned that he was entrusting a very young dragon under the care of the notoriously antisocial kirin who specialized in hunting rogue dragons, she didn't so much as bat a scaled eyelid. She bowed low and Terrato dismissed the spell so he could focus on other pressing matters.

With initial reports from the siege of FangBreaker coming in along with scouting reports from his spies in Wolvengard, Terrato braced himself for a busy morning. So far, Nightmare Moon had not made an appearance in FangBreaker and Fenrir was staying true to the pact. However…

The "feel" of hoof-steps approaching his quarters caused Terrato to pause. He extended his senses to the stone floor, identifying his visitors through tremor sense before they could even come close. He recognized the hoofsteps of two of his heavily barded guards. It was the third pony walking towards his quarters that piqued his attention however. There was no mistaking his light-stepping older sister. Despite being taller than any mortal pony, Celestia walked softly enough to put a filly crawling on a thick carpet to shame. When the door finally opened, he had already set aside the papers he was supposed to deal with so he can focus his attention on her. The two guards bowed upon entering his presence while Celestia hesitated for a moment before stepping inside his quarters. "How are you feeling?" he asked. He gestured for the guards to leave and remain outside his quarters and then shut the door behind them with his magic.

"I'm much better now," Celestia replied softly. "Thank you." She took another step towards her brother.

Towards any other pony who showed him this sort of nervousness, Terrato would already be annoyed. For Celestia, it was easy to make an exemption. "Do you need something?" he asked.

"I would like to walk around this city, Terrato. To see what Equestria is like beyond my barrier."

"Are you under my command now, Celestia?"

Terrato's answer put a puzzled look on Celestia's face for a moment. Then, with a slight frown, she answered, "Certainly not."

"Then why are you asking for my permission to do things?"

The frown disappeared followed by a look that Terrato could have sworn was apologetic. "Even if I'm not asking for permission, I still want you to be happy with my decisions," Celestia said.

There was an awkward moment of silence after that. The conversation threatened to shift towards their past but Terrato refused to let it. "Not with this one," he finally said. "I would rather you stayed put for now." Faced with a questioning look from his sister, he went on. "There are a lot of ponies out there who aren't happy with your barrier, Celestia. You risk being attacked if you decide to wander about the city. I can't accompany you and take care of my other duties at the same time so that leaves moving a lot of legionnaires around to keep you safe."

"Is the danger truly that great, brother?"

Terrato's face twisted in embarrassment. How he wanted to say that he was exaggerating and that the ponies of the Barrier Lands respected and adored Celestia. But the truth was that even the harshest punishments could not hold back centuries of building resentment. He knew the grumblings that his subjects thought they were hiding from him so well. "It could be just one doddering, half-blind pony with a rusty shank and a grudge and I would still have you guarded at all times," he answered.

"Perhaps they don't have to know that it's me who's wandering about," Celestia suggested. "Just a touch of transformation magic would do."

"True," Terrato replied. "And with all the preparations for retaking FangBreaker, you won't be drawing too much attention." He stepped forward with his horn glowing. Black Rose may have let Celestia keep her immortality but he could barely sense any magical power from his sister. He doubted that she could manage basic telekinesis without breaking a sweat. As he moved closer, however, Celestia suddenly took a step back. The surprise on her face when she noticed this movement told him that it was instinctive. He stopped and stared at her quietly.

Celestia lowered her head and her voice trembled slightly. "I'm sorry," she said.

"What's there to be sorry about? Flinching? It hasn't been a week since we fought each other, Celestia."

"It's not just about that fight." Celestia insisted. She managed to walk forward until she was a leg's length from her brother. "This 'flinching' is just one symptom. The way I've been thinking of you and treating you, I…" She stopped upon seeing Terrato's face harden until it seemed as if he was chiseled from granite.

"I see where this is going," Terrato said harshly. "Now that you need me more than ever, I'm suddenly your dear brother again, am I right?"

Celestia's eyes widened in shock at first, and then indignation tinged her voice when she responded. "What? That is not true at all!"

"Then don't do this to me, Celestia! Not when the back of my mind keeps saying that."

Celestia took another step back. This time, it came as no surprise to Terrato. When he raised his voice, he had instinctively raised himself up and leaned forward in a combative stance. He cursed at his own reflexes, his volcanic temper and the centuries that created the two. 'I'm sorry, Luna,' he thought, 'but this is going to be much more difficult than I thought.' He lowered his voice and the threatening stance he was in. "I swear I will restore your powers," he said gently. "Until that time, don't do this. Don't bait me with something that I'm terrified that you'll take away again once everything is 'back to normal'."

"Terrato…" Celestia extended a foreleg to touch her brother but he suddenly raised his glowing horn and cast a spell. A burst of gray magic erupted from it and then engulfed his sister. When the spell settled, he was no longer staring at a weakened alicorn but a lavender earth pony mare no bigger than Twilight Sparkle. Her mane was a much darker shade of purple, cut short swept to one side while her tail was kept short and straight.

"There we go." Terrato said with a small, satisfied smile. "You're Sun Drop, an earth pony volunteer from Hearthstone City. He turned around and walked back to his desk where the reports he had been ignoring awaited him. "You'll look suspicious with armed guards following you about so I'll have Special Operations keep a careful eye on you. Try not to get into any arguments as they will be instructed to shoot any pony who so much as spits in your direction."

Celestia looked at her disguise tentatively. "Is there any particular reason you chose this form?" she asked.

"I like earth ponies," Terrato replied. "Oh and, that way, you won't be called upon to use magic or fly. Now get a move on. Redtail and Lowlight will escort you out of the Grand Meeting Hall." With that, he returned to his desk and got to work on the rest of the reports.

* * *

><p>Celestia stared at her brother for a little while longer. Terrato had already buried his nose into a pile of papers. She wasn't sure what spurred that halting apology from her. Perhaps it was the hurt she saw flash on his face when she had instinctively stepped back. Perhaps it was because she felt obligated after attacking him without cause just a few days back.<p>

_"You stubborn foal…all you had to do was visit our brother once and you could have seen for yourself what sort of ponies served with him to protect Equestria. You could have seen how he runs the legion and how faithful he has been to the laws you laid down. You had more than a thousand years to spare a day to see him and you didn't."_

There were also Luna's words, words that had their meaning blotted out by Celestia's outrage over what she felt was a betrayal. Now that things have calmed down, Celestia began to consider them. A single day of visiting…perhaps that could have worked in the past but what could be done know. There was nothing physically standing between her and her brother save for a desk of wood a several feet of air but it felt as if he had already constructed a fortress around him. He has had centuries of experience defending both Equestria and himself. There was no getting through to something he wanted shut away. But, perhaps there was a way around those walls…she could only hope that she could find such a way by spending more time here in the realm he had been reigning over all this time. With one last glance at Terrato, she walked away and followed her two guards to the Grand Meeting Hall's exit.

* * *

><p>Vanguard's hoof smacked into Applejack's shoulder, knocking her down to the ground hard. It wasn't that he had struck her hard or that he was wearing tramplers, the force that sent her sprawling on the pavement came more from the precision by which he picked his target and the timing of his blow. Her barding scraped loudly against the stone, setting everypony's teeth on edge. Nearby, merely watching made both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie wince.<p>

Fluttershy had her medical kit ready in case of any accident. She looked towards their shared quarters, suddenly reminded of another friend who had just gotten hurt recently. Earlier this morning, Twilight had tried to use Rarity's mage-blades again. One of the blades spun erratically in her telekinesis and then buried itself into her foreleg. Fluttershy couldn't understand why Twilight had to insist on trying to use the weapons in the first place.

"I'm starting to see some bad habits here, Applejack," Vanguard commented as he waited for Applejack to get up. "Just because you bear the Element of Honesty doesn't mean that you have to honestly tell me every move you make before making it."

Then there was Applejack, another pony that had been full of surprises for the past few days. Twilight had fussed over her, trying to find out more about the strange shield she had called out during their last fight. When pressed to do it again, Applejack had been unable to do so no matter how much Twilight prodded her. There was also her promotion to vice-captain. Everypony was fine with it. At least, Fluttershy thought they were. Twilight has been looking a little edgy ever since Vanguard Clash revealed his decision.

"What in tarnation are you talking about?" Applejack asked as she shook off the impact. "I haven't said a word since we started this! How can I be telling you what I'm going to do?"

The morning after their celebratory party, Spike had left with a few pegasi and made his way to the Western Barrier Land. The departure was short and simple enough. No tears or long farewell speeches, just a hug for each of them and a wave from Spike. After that, with all of them temporarily grouped together and away from their respective divisions, Applejack had asked her new captain for a sparring session near their shared quarters. The results so far were more than a little eye-opening. Applejack may not have been in the Legion for a long time but she had seen her fair share of fighting and trained everyday with her platoon. Nevertheless, Vanguard Clash tossed her around with barely any effort. He didn't even look like he was breathing hard.

"Maybe not with your lips," Vanguard replied. "The rest of your body does however. Pay attention to where your eyes linger and how your shoulders and legs tense. Keeping your lips shut doesn't mean anything if your expressions say if you're falling back or about to attack."

"Alright, no more getting knocked on my rear!" Applejack pawed the ground in anticipation as she prepared to make another charge.

Before they continue however, Vanguard suddenly looked to the side. Fluttershy followed his gaze to find a pegasus standing nearby. "Captain Vanguard Clash?" the pegasus asked.

"That's me," Vanguard replied. From the way he acted, it seemed that he didn't recognize this pony. Fluttershy guessed that this must be one of the reinforcements from the cities to the south of Bastion City that had only recently arrived.

"I heard that you are in command of a squad of chosen, is this true?"

The mention of "chosen" caught the attention of the rest Vanguard's new squad. Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie walked over to see what was going on. "It's true," Vanguard said. "What of it?"

A look of both surprise and relief crossed the legionnaire's face. "My name is One Trick, I'm here on behalf of a high scholar from the Order of Speech."

Vanguard raised an eyebrow. Seeing his puzzlement, Applejack trotted over to stand next to him."What's this Order of Speech about?" she asked.

"The Order of Speech is an ancient organization focused on the maintenance of language in the Barrier Lands," Vanguard replied. He turned his attention back to One Trick. "What does a high scholar want with the chosen?" he asked.

"High Scholar Crow Quill insisted on making the hard journey here to meet the first chosen to come to the Barrier Lands as soon as he first heard the rumors. He wishes to meet with the chosen if it is possible."

Vanguard considered it for a moment and then nodded. "Alright then," he said.

"Excellent! High Scholar Crow Quill is staying here in…"

* * *

><p>About half an hour later, Vanguard and his new squad were visiting The Snow Mare, one of the many full inns in Bastion City thanks to the influx of ponies coming in. They waited in the dining area until an old unicorn stallion with a dull, black coat and a gray mane approached them. Vanguard hazarded a guess that this was Crow Quill. He wore an indistinct brown robe as well as a pair of saddlebags, one of which was stuffed with scrolls while the contents of the other could only be guessed at. Out of all of them, it was Twilight who looked on with interest. He wasn't surprised. This was going to be her first encounter with a scholar from the Barrier Lands.<p>

Crow Quill approached the group slowly at first but when his gaze alighted on their cutie marks, his step suddenly gained a lot of spring. "It's true!" he said. "Chosen!" He focused his attention on Twilight. "You there, do you understand a word I'm saying?" he asked.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I do," she replied. To her surprise, Crow Quill closed his eyes and a couple of tears ran down his cheeks. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'll be fine," Crow Quill replied. "I simply wish to relish the validation of my life's work and of the life's work of the ponies before me. Despite a millennium of separation, we understand each other clearly. By your words you have brought meaning to centuries of vigilant service."

Twilight was taken aback by the grandiose words. "Um…you're welcome?" she offered.

A minute of silence passed before Crow Quill collected himself. "There is one more piece of business to deal with," he said. "As unlikely as it may be, have you perchance heard of the Apple Family?"

It was Applejack's turn to step forward and speak up. "Heard of 'em? Why you're looking at one of them! The name's Applejack, what can I do you for?"

Crow Quill's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "You…you are a member of the Apple Family?" He shook his head in disbelief and stared at Applejack. "By The Three, if I were to fall down dead this very moment, I would have no regrets!"

"Uh…please don't." Applejack said awkwardly. "There ain't a pony here who'd like to see that."

"Why are you looking for the Apple Family?" Twilight asked. "How do you even know about the Apple Family?"

Crow Quill fell to his knees and then fiddled with one of his saddlebags. He pulled out what seemed to be a fine silvery chain easily several feet long. With a trembling voice, he spoke solemnly to Applejack. "Centuries ago, during the first few years of the division, The Last Great Apple not only saved my ancestor's life but restored his honor. Before his final stand, he asked that ancestor of mine to somehow find a way to return this to his family. This task has been handed down through the generations and now I have the honor of finally repaying that debt."

Applejack turned towards Vanguard in confusion. "Last Great Apple? What's he talking about, Vanguard?"

Vanguard was silent for a while. "Apple Slice," he finally replied. He walked over to Crow Quill. "It's unlikely that this is even the same Apple Family as the one Apple Slice was part of. It's been centuries, Crow Quill, that bloodline is probably long gone and a new bunch of ponies have taken up the name."

"Aren't there any Apples in the Barrier Lands?" Twilight asked.

"From what I've read, Apple Slice was the last. He stayed in the Barrier Lands while the rest of his family migrated to the Heartland as chosen."

"This task has been passed down my family despite all the impossibilities of it being completed," Crow Quill insisted. "No matter how distant the relation, this chain will return to the hooves of an Apple." He coiled the chain loosely around one leg and offered it to Applejack. "Please take the burden of this debt from my family, Applejack," he said. "I have no foals to pass this duty on to. It must be fate that I chose to travel to this city."

"I'll take it if it means so much to you, old timer," Applejack replied. As soon as she touched the chain, she stopped and looked ahead distantly as if recalling something.

"Don't worry," Applejack told Crow Quill. "You got the right Apple. You don't owe Apple Slice anything anymore."

"Thank you," Crow Quill said. Before he could continue, he was suddenly wracked by a violent cough.

One Trick stepped forward and helped the old unicorn up to his hooves. "I beg your pardon," he said to Applejack and the others. "All this excitement has taken its toll on Crow Quill. I'm going to escort him back to his room now. Thank you for helping him in this, Applejack."

As the two made their way out of the dining area Vanguard stared at the chain Applejack had been given. What kind of metal could survive for so many centuries? Surely, there was more to it than just being a simple tool for a long dead pony. The rest of his friends walked over to have a good look at it.

"Superb craftsmanship," Rarity commented. "Look at the detail on each link! Why it still looks brand new! It's hard to believe that this was made hundreds of years ago."

"That's because it's magic," Twilight remarked. Her horn was glowing as she approached. She winced slightly each time she stepped with her bandaged foreleg. "It's a pretty powerful enchantment too. This Apple Slice must have been a powerful unicorn or knew one to be able to do this."

Applejack continued to stare at the chain and then looked towards Vanguard. "Say Vanguard," she said.

"Hm?"

"What Black Rose did was wrong, right? Stealing Princess Celestia's power…hurting and killing ponies to get what she wants…"

Vanguard understood the meaning behind the question. This chain could have only found its way back to its rightful owners if the division was ended and Black Rose had done what she did. Applejack was uncomfortable in benefiting from what should be a bad thing. "Yes," he replied.

"Is it bad to think that something good came out of it?"

Vanguard fell into thinking himself. "No," he eventually replied. "Not at all. Now, get ready, we're moving out."


	3. Dangerous Roads

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 3: Dangerous Roads**

The march towards FangBreaker Fortress was the exact opposite of the shameful retreat that the legion had gone through. Even though the weather was now worse, every pony made good time. They dragged the supply wagons and siege engines they had brought along with fervor. The thought of bringing the fight to the wolven who had dared to invade their lands warmed them through the frigid journey.

With FangBreaker just a day away, the latest wave of reinforcements picked up their pace as snow continue to fall all around them. The pilling snow drifts made each step a struggle but nopony paid too much attention to that, especially the pegasi. Among them, Rainbow Dash not only flew all the way up front but she flitted about in her impatience. Her back still hurt a bit and her head still had some bandages but she was ready for another battle and another chance to redeem herself. For this march, she purposely distanced herself from her new squad mates. Applejack's forgiveness felt…reassuring, as if the earth pony had reached out and removed an enormous load that had been dragging her down. It was for that reason that she needed to keep some distance. It was her fault that Applejack was hurt and she had to do something to redeem herself. It was so tempting to just accept that forgiveness and try to get back to some semblance of how they normally were back in the Heartland but she couldn't let it go that way. She couldn't let Applejack, or any of her friends, do everything. She had to do something truly heroic, something that would show them how awesome it was to be her friend. She couldn't just wait around until one of them was in danger, she had to keep doing things.

She looked ahead, past the gently falling snow, and saw the faint silhouette of FangBreaker Fortress's walls. Its retaking will be her opportunity. She had listened often to her flight mates talking about the place. Every member of Flight Dreadwing spoke of the fortress with a reverence she once thought was only reserved for royalty. The fortress was more than just a bunch of buildings to the Legion. Even Flight Captain Tailwind had some wistfulness in her tone when the conversation shifted to the place. Taking it back was going to be something of a legend in the years to come. Playing an important part in the process…well, it would help. A lot.

Before she could go on, the landscape suddenly turned into a white and gray blur. She felt something hit her from the side and then carry her away like a great blast of wind. Except that this blast felt solid and metallic. She was suddenly hovering high above the line of troops, even above the other pegasi. "What in the-!" she spluttered.

A hoof covered Rainbow's mouth before she could say anything else. She focused on what had brought her so swiftly and suddenly here only to find a familiar pony holding her up while hovering. 'Scarlet Rabbit,' she thought. The name shifted her thoughts into an entirely different matter, one that had been talked about between her, Applejack and even Vanguard Clash for the past few days. The red pegasus held her with his forelegs and carried her aloft without so much as straining slightly.

"Shhh!" Scarlet looked down worriedly and then focused on Rainbow with a conspiratorial grin. "Not too loud!" he whispered. "The Captain's going to kick my flank if he finds out about this!"

Rainbow nodded and Scarlet took his hoof from her mouth. He didn't let her go however, leaving the two of them to hover awkwardly while facing each other. Rainbow tried to free herself only to realize that she couldn't break Scarlet's grip. "What do you want, Scarlet?" she asked indignantly. Inside, she was starting to feel a sense of dread. Scarlet had easily separated her from anypony before she could so much as blink. He held her in an iron grip and, while he was grinning casually, the look in his eyes was a little too intense.

"You know, I should be a little mad at you," Scarlet said. "You got pissed because I raced you with my barding and weights on but it turns out you've been holding back on me too. Why haven't you mentioned your sonic sparkly dash to me before?"

Rainbow couldn't help but quail a bit at the intense, disturbing stare. "I…uh…well, it just sorta happens." She swallowed nervously when the grin lessened on Scarlet's face. "I can't do it whenever I want to," she continued to explain. "It just happens when it's really important so I wasn't holding back on you at all."

Scarlet's silent, uncomprehending gaze filled the few moments of silence that came after Rainbow's response. After that, his grin returned. "So you still want to race against me seriously?" he asked. "No barding and weights, just Scarlet Rabbit at his very best and Rainbow Dash with her sparkly flashy exploding move!"

Rainbow didn't answer right away. A serious race against an unhindered Scarlet Rabbit…ever since that last race they had, she had been thinking of how such a thing would play out. Scarlet was right, she still had the Sonic Rainboom. If she had managed that during their first race, she could have left Scarlet behind easily. Accepting his invitation, even if she wasn't sure she could pull it off, should be an easy yes.

Except that she had spoken with Vanguard just the other day. Her mind wandered to how that conversation started.

_"I think it's wonderful that you're staying here again, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said with an approving nod._

_Rainbow didn't really have much to say to that. After how she had been treating them, she wondered why any of her friends would be glad to share these quarters with her. But, Applejack had insisted and staying here was more convenient than constantly avoiding the stubborn earth pony. Flight Captain Tailwind telling her to stay with the other Elements of Harmony also helped. "What's the matter, Rarity?" she asked with a half-forced smirk. "Couldn't stand not having my awesome self around?"_

_To Rainbow Dash's surprise, Rarity smiled a bit. "I admit I even missed that ego. But it's also because I wanted to talk to you about something."_

_"Huh?" Rainbow eyed Rarity skeptically. She'd been doing plenty of talking with Applejack already; she certainly didn't want to have a repeat with Rarity._

_"Rainbow, has Scarlet Rabbit…challenged you to a race?"_

_"No. Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"_

_"Well, I just heard this rather disturbing tale from Hammer Chain…"_

_Rainbow listened despite the urge to just dismiss Rarity's concerns. She had heard something like this from Applejack already; Scarlet's a good legionnaire but his sort of influence wasn't, the things Scarlet does work for him but won't necessarily work for other ponies, Scarlet's a veteran and knows what he's doing in combat. Rainbow wasn't interested in hearing more. It wasn't Scarlet's drinking ability or even his skill at fighting that Rainbow admired but she wasn't ready to talk to anypony about that._

_But, as Rarity proceeded to recount what Hammer Chain had told her, Rainbow did end up listening intently. Rarity was convinced that Scarlet had done something horrible to this Overcast pegasus, Rainbow wasn't so sure and she wasn't going to simply speculate like the white unicorn. It was better to get the answers straight from the source._

_Vanguard Clash eventually entered their shared quarters and Rainbow immediately spoke to him about what Rarity had told her._

_"All of that is true," Vanguard replied after looking around to see if anypony else was listening. Finding none, he continued. "I can't fault Hammer Chain for giving the point of view of an observer and I'm willing to fill in the details if it convinces you not to seriously race against Scarlet Rabbit."_

_"So Scarlet really did kill Overcast?" Rainbow asked in shock._

_"No," Vanguard said. Before Rainbow could breathe a sigh of relief, he went on. "Because we managed to stop him in time. And, that was only because he was slowly beating Overcast to death as opposed to just snapping his neck."_

_Rainbow tried to reply, to voice some kind of skepticism and reason out that Vanguard was exaggerating to keep her from racing against Scarlet Rabbit. But, Vanguard had never been the sort to exaggerate. In fact, every time he opened his mouth, nothing came out but growling, somber truth, even when he was trying to be light-hearted. Even now, he spoke so seriously that she couldn't help but be convinced. "But why?" she asked. "Why did he do it?"_

_"You'll need to understand more about Scarlet. He's not a Bastion City pony like most of us in the fortress. He was sent here from the Southern Barrier Land before recruitment." Vanguard paused, hesitating one last time about telling his old friend's story to a newer friend. "Scarlet wasn't born like you or I was born. He was…built."_

_"Built?" Rainbow asked. "Like a machine? How's that possible?"_

_"His parents came from a line of ophidite slaves. Their owners have been selectively breeding them for pegasus racing and Scarlet was their best result."_

_Rainbow's eyes narrowed. Ophidites. She had heard the term used often during her nights out with her flight whenever the transferees from the south told stories. They were enormous snakes who lived far to the south. She heard a lot of terms about them; Constrictus tribe, Cobrahn tribe, Vipren tribe, Coatl tribe, Sesyth, spitters, poison arrows…now it seemed that Scarlet Rabbit was part of that group."How do you know all of this?" she asked._

_"I garnered a lot of information from Scarlet himself. I've also spoken with some of his fellow liberated slaves." Vanguard paused in deep thought, likely remembering things before continuing "Scarlet's masters applied every bit of knowledge they had on producing an unbeatable racing pegasus; experiments, medicines, conditioning…they succeeded to a great degree. To Scarlet's luck I suppose. In Ophidus, pegasus racers were a couple of losses from being dinner. When the Southern Legion managed to attack the holdings of his ophidite master, Scarlet was already a champion several times over."_

_Rainbow swallowed again. "What does all of that have to do with challenging him to a race? I mean just because he's got special training-"_

_"Don't you understand? The ophidites took away Scarlet's parents, his chance for some semblance of a normal foalhood, even some of his ability to interact with his fellow ponies and feel some emotions. They took all that away and replaced it with speed. That's what I mean when I say he was built. There is no beating him when he races unfettered and I say this after seeing your Sonic Rainboom."_

_"You can't know that until I try!" Rainbow protested._

_Vanguard held Rainbow by the shoulders and looked her in the eye sternly. "Don't race him. He'll ask you now that he's seen what you can do but he won't persist if you put your hoof down. If you race him seriously and lose, he'll go berserk and try to kill you. The ophidites conditioned him that way." Vanguard's voice lowered and he let his worry tinge his words. "There won't be a second cover up. If he tries it again, he's dead. The only variable is if he kills you first or not. Do you understand now? Don't race him."_

"Rainbow Dash."

For a moment, Rainbow didn't even recognize her own name in the swirl of indecision going about her mind.

"Rainbow Dash!" Scarlet followed the name up with a vigorous shaking. When he finally noticed her eyes focus on him, he frowned a bit. "What are you doing spacing out? You want that race or not?"

Vanguard's warning played itself in Rainbow's mind. That and the concern all her friends had for her. She should say no. That was all it took to put a stop to this. A single word will stop Scarlet's pestering and keep her safe from that dangerous, ophidite-made…thing that lurked beneath his cheery smile and boisterous laugh. There was still a war to fight, Nightmare Moon, Black Rose, getting Celestia's power back and a hundred more reasons. All she had to do was say-

"Yes."

A smile spread over Scarlet's face. Rainbow recognized this smile. It was the sort of smile Pinkie had…when she spotted another cake to devour. "Great!" he said. His smile widened until his teeth showed. "You tell me when you're ready then we'll plan a nice private spot. Don't worry about witnesses. I'll be the first and the loudest at proclaiming your awesomeness when you beat me!"

Before Rainbow could speak again, she found herself hovering alone in the chilly sky. All she caught was a faint streak of red from the corner of her eye. 'Just one word, huh?' she berated herself. She descended as well, feeling a shudder that was more than just from the cold.

* * *

><p>Not everypony was excited with the walls of FangBreaker coming ever closer. Trailing behind her friends, Pinkie Pie could not help but quail at the prospect of having to enter battle again. It wasn't fear for her life that put a damper on Pinkie's normal cheeriness. During the last fight with Nightmare Moon, she had done next to nothing to help her friends out. Indeed, instead of helping out, she was actually a burden, having to be protected by Twilight's shield and watching helplessly while Nightmare Moon almost killed her friends. Even despite that, she was being grouped with the rest of the Elements of Harmony and being sent to fight once again. She couldn't understand it. What was expected of her? She wasn't super magical like Twilight, strong and tough like Applejack or fast like Rainbow. At least Fluttershy could help with the wounded and even Rarity had those magic blades of hers. She just…didn't fit in the front line.<p>

"What's the matter, Pinkie Pie?"

Pinkie easily recognized the soft growling tone which was so much like Vanguard Clash's, only a little rougher. While she got along well with everypony in the kitchen division, she did spend just a little more time chatting with Sharpfangs. "I was just thinking of what I could do when the fighting starts again, Sharpfangs," she replied. When Sharpfangs raised an eyebrow, she continued explaining. "I mean, I'm just a cook. Sure I'm also a bearer of an Element of Harmony and Prince Terrato thinks that we can do a lot more if I'm out there helping out in fights but what am I supposed to be doing? Hey you're a cook too, Sharpfangs, do you have any idea what to do when you suddenly need to fight?"

Sharpfangs cleared his throat and waited slightly before replying, likely expecting more questions. "I don't know how these "Elements of Harmony" are supposed to work, Pinkie," he replied. "I can't help you there. Maybe you should get some weapons training if you're going to be spending time in fights."

"I suppose," Pinkie said with a downcast look. "More time in fights" was exactly what she was afraid of. All of a sudden, she found her tail shaking violently. On instinct, she dropped to her belly with her forelegs covering her head. "Twitchy tail, watch out!" she yelled. "Something's going to fall from above!"

As soon as he heard Pinkie yell, Sharpfangs looked up. There was a crashing sound of a wagon falling to the ground and noticed in time as what appeared to be a small pot was about to land on him. He stepped to the side and the pot fell harmlessly to the ground, saved from being shattered by landing on the piling snow. He stared at the pot for a moment and then picked it up. With the danger gone, Pinkie Pie stood up and look at the thing as well. It turned out to be a jar of salt. They looked behind them to find that one of the supply wagons had been upended and the pony pulling it had fallen face-first into the snow. The jar had likely flown from the wagon, narrowly missing Sharpfangs's head thanks to Pinkie's warning. Sharpfangs looked towards Pinkie with a mixture of disbelief and gratitude. "Good call," he said. "Thanks."

Pinkie replied with a wide grin and then hopped over to see what had happened with Sharpfangs.

"So what happened here, Whitesnout?" Sharpfangs asked the wagon's puller.

"Prince-damned snow was hiding a shallow pit," Whitesnout grumbled. Several wagons passed by him as he struggled to get his back on track. "I guess I should count myself lucky I didn't break a leg."

Sharpfangs and Pinkie lent a hoof and, after several minutes, got the wagon moving again. They were about to get back to the march when they noticed a couple of ponies heading towards them. Upon noticing them, Sharpfang's eyes narrowed and he pulled Pinkie Pie protectively behind him. Surprised and suddenly curious, Pinkie looked over Sharpfang's shoulder to see what was going on.

The two earth ponies that were coming towards them looked…odd. Pinkie had not really known a lot of Barrier Lands ponies but she did know the sort of appearance that the ponies of Bastion City favored; thick gray furs, barding on the legionnaires, rugged faces and the like. These ponies were clad from muzzle to tail in thickly layered browns and greens. They wore wide-brimmed, conical hats to protect themselves from the snow. The lead pony still had his face exposed, revealing a young stallion with a dark brown coat and a white mane. The one behind him appeared to be wearing a wooden mask made to resemble a featureless stone pony. "Who are these ponies, Sharpfangs?" she asked. "Do you know them?"

"Never met one before," Sharpfangs growled softly. "But I recognize the outfits. They call themselves 'True Earth Ponies'. They probably came with the other reinforcements from the Western Barrier Land."

The masked pony held out what appeared to be a flat piece of slate no bigger than a dinner plate. There were all sorts of strange writings on it as well as four embedded gems set in a cross pattern; a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald and a diamond. The diamond, the gem that was pointing towards their direction, was glowing softly. Upon seeing this, the masked pony turned to his companion and whispered something. The other stallion listened intently and then nodded before turning towards Sharpfangs. "Which one of you was channeling ley energy just now?" he asked.

"What?" Sharpfangs asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

The masked pony whispered something again and then pointed a hoof at Pinkie Pie. The lead pony nodded and then took a step towards her. Sharpfangs blocked his path however. "This doesn't concern you, half-dog," the stallion said angrily. "Our concern is with the novice channeler."

"Take your 'concern' and shove them past your tail," Sharpfangs retorted. "I'm not letting you fill this filly's head with your worthless grudges and philosophies."

The stallion reared up angrily. But, before anything else could transpire, a shadow fell upon him accompanied by the sound of beating wings.

"What's going on here?" Flight Captain Tailwind asked sternly. She hovered close to Sharpfangs and glared at the two ponies. "You've got a problem with my husband, colt?"

"So the half-dog is married to a bird," the lead stallion said scornfully. Tailwind's hoof went the crossbow strapped to her harness but Sharpfangs stopped her.

The masked pony also held out a hoof to hold back the lead stallion. When the lead stallion backed down, the masked pony stepped forward and spoke directly to Pinkie Pie. He began talking in a language that Pinkie didn't recognize and he said it with a cracking, aged voice.

More ponies arrived to see what was going on. Pinkie noticed even more unfamiliar ponies that looked like they came from other parts of the Barrier Lands . Upon seeing the commotion, the masked pony whispered to his companion and both of them walked away. "What was that about?" Pinkie Pie asked in confusion. "Did any of you understand a word that masked pony said?"

"True Earth Pony gibberish," Tailwind said derisively. She patted Sharpfangs's shoulder briefly before preparing to fly away. "Stay away from those nutcases," she told Pinkie. "They can't be anything good." With that, she flew off.

Before Pinkie and Sharpfangs could follow suit and move on, one of the observing ponies, a white earth pony stallion with a buzz-cut brown mane, trotted over to them. "Sorry about that," he said sheepishly. "They came with my group. I didn't expect them to start acting out though. They were pretty behaved even when they were with unicorns and pegasi."

"They probably would have stayed that way too," Sharpfangs replied. "I think something provoked them." He looked over to Pinkie Pie as he said that.

"So why are they called "True Earth Ponies"?" Pinkie asked. "I mean, does that mean I'm a fake earth pony? How do they tell?"

The three of them continued walking. "The name's Cold Forged," the pony from the Western Barrier Land said. "Don't let their name fool you. There's nothing particularly true about them. Just a bunch of isolationist earth ponies if you ask me. I guess that doesn't sound as good as 'True Earth Ponies'."

"So why do they call themselves that?" Pinkie asked.

"Well, according to them, they are very ancient group," Cold Forged replied. "They say that a long time ago, even before the reign of our prince, the pegasi controlled the weather while the unicorns controlled both the sun and moon. The earth ponies were required to pay tribute to both for what they did. Their group's ancestors supposedly started a revolt against this and then fled underground where neither sun nor moon could be seen and the weather meant nothing."

Sharpfangs shook his head in disapproval at the telling while Cold Forged let himself show a wry, embarrassed smile. "Sounds like hogwash made up to hate unicorns and pegasi to me," Cold Forged said. "I mean pegasi controlling weather?" He laughed derisively.

"Just stay away from them, Pinkie." Sharpfangs said. "They're a dangerous lot caught up in their bigoted beliefs.

"I've heard that there's also a very rare sort of them practicing bizarre rituals to create some kind of magic," Cold Forged added. "Earth ponies practicing magic, it's just not right, I tell you."

Pinkie Pie was about to say something when she saw Twilight and the rest of her friends galloping towards her.

"There you are!" Twilight said in relief. "You should have said something before falling to the back of the line like this!"

"Oh hey, Twilight!" Pinkie said enthusiastically. Her confusion about what the masked pony had said faded to the back of her mind for now. "I just met-"

"Later," Twilight said. She looked behind her. The walls of FangBreaker Fortress loomed over them now. The rest of the reinforcements were already spreading out to assist the besieging forces. Pinkie followed the purple unicorn's gaze towards a great pillar of black flame burning on top of the fortress's highest building. "This will be round two," Twilight said grimly.


	4. One More Fight

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 4: One More Fight**

It had been less than a month since the wolven captured FangBreaker Fortress and, already, their great symbol of victory represented something else: a giant grave marker for its new wolven defenders. With the army on the retreat and enraged thunder-foots already surrounding "their" fortress, FangBreaker's wolven occupants had dug down and prepared to be slaughtered to the last warrior.

Most of the main army had already retreated to Wolvengard to prepare it for an invasion. Not a single wolven believed that the thunder-foots would be satisfied with simply taking back their fort. A large group of them stayed behind to delay the thunder-foot advance and provide the main army enough time to get away. It was no secret that to stay and fight was a sure and violent death and hundreds volunteered, so much that not every wolven who wanted to stay was allowed. Otherwise, Fenrir would have lost his entire army holding the place.

The wolven didn't really understand their ultimate goal in conquering Equestria. They knew of their king's desire for Fair Luna but very few of them really understood it. Settling the land was no great prospect. Indeed, the few wolven who had managed to journey into the western and southern portions of Equestria found the place uncomfortably warm and did not relish the idea of settling in such place. The final goal didn't matter however. The fighting was what did. Most of the warriors who had now consigned themselves to a bloody last stand had joined the army because it was simply the natural thing to do after growing up and the bloody death that accompanied that career at some point was accepted as a natural end to one's life.

For Hasrok, that basic choice was not one without some pleasures. He picked his fangs of the last bits of sinew and threw it to the nearby pile of gnawed wolven bones. As far as the physical meal was concerned, Hegiskra was an awful dinner, far too gristly and bony. But Hasrok enjoyed every bite regardless. The old crone was an arrogant witch and it was almost worth seeing the siege of the thunder-foot city fail just to see her "visions" count for nothing. Not one wolven protested when he meted out her punishment.

_"Enjoy your meal, pup, you think I was mistaken only because you can barely see past your snout!"_

Hasrok snorted at his meal's last words. He had never met a more delusional dog in his entire life. He was far too ashamed of her to call her a proper wolven. A true wolven would not rely on dreams and strange creatures. It was a shame indeed. He had known Hegiskra before old age had broken most of her fangs. Just a few years ago, he would have happily slaughtered thunder-foots by her side. Now she was doing him a final favor by filling his belly and granting him the strength to kill as many of the thunder-foots before falling in this wretched fortress.

There was a complication however. Moon-Shadow, the same Moon-Shadow that Hegiskra dragged him to thunder-foot territory just to summon, was still around. As was her thunder-foot slave. Like the rest of the wolven army, Moon-Shadow had been forced to retreat by the coming of both cursed Celestia and the unrecognized thunder-foot leader who decimated their forces. Unlike the rest of the wolven army, she wasn't doing her part in slowing the thunder-foots down. All she had done so far was stand on top the fortress and glower uselessly for the past few days.

'Here I am just a battle away from getting into the Final Hunting Grounds and it has to be marred by this unnatural…thing,' Hasrok thought. The walls continued to take a pounding while he waited. The thunder-foots didn't seem to have a problem with destroying their precious fortress. The reinforced gate that had been built was also on the verge of falling apart. Even with the final surge of thunder-foots about to happen soon it looked like Moon-Shadow was only there to watch them die.

* * *

><p><strong><em>"How long are you going to put up this infantile resistance?"<em>**

Just a few days ago, Pyre Valor would have answered Nightmare Moon's angry taunt with a stinging remark of her own. Now, she just didn't have the strength. What was a humiliating retreat to FangBreaker for Nightmare Moon had been a triumphant return for her. The Legion had pulled through, just as she knew it would. She wasn't interested in the why's and the how's. The Legion had done what needed to be done, just as she did. Right now, she was already on her final mission. As soon as Nightmare Moon had landed on the fort, she had summoned every ounce of her will to hold her body rigid, rooting Nightmare Moon to one spot and preventing her from aiding the wolven.

That was days ago. She had been locked in a battle of wills with Nightmare Moon for all that time and was on her last legs, so to speak. Already, Nightmare Moon was able to partially move some of her legs and was slowly climbing down her perch. She was barely aware of their surroundings, having already given up the use of her senses to Nightmare Moon. She had focused on holding her limbs and shutting down her magic but control over those was also being slowly wrested away. It just seemed that Nightmare Moon's mental strength was limitless while she was only mortal.

The faint sound of howling among the wolven brought some ray of light to Pyre's slowly darkening world. The Legion was taking back FangBreaker and their last push was almost here. Nightmare Moon lifted her legs with more ease. They were galloping from the rooftop now. Pyre abandoned trying to control her legs and focused all her remaining strength on trying to keep Nightmare Moon's magic down.

**_"They're here."_**

Nightmare Moon's mental tone all but assured Pyre as to "they" were. She had heard "The Elements of Harmony" often enough from the shadowy being and each time the term was used, it was with a tinge of concern. Nightmare Moon feared the Elements of Harmony. The thought of it was amusing if nothing else. Pyre hadn't cared about the Elements of Harmony save for the fact that Twilight Sparkle was part of them. Recently, she had viewed them with a bit more concern. They were important tools, the only tools likely good enough to destroy her now unwanted "passenger". Through Nightmare Moon's enhanced magical senses she had felt the barrier go down. She had seen Celestia appear in the Barrier Lands. For all intents and purposes, her mission had been a success. Nightmare Moon's presence was the final wrinkle in this whole affair and her disposal will be Pyre's final gift to the Legion.

But then there was Blademane.

With her vision gone and her hearing following, Pyre had no idea what had become of Blademane. He was in the fort somewhere, likely waiting for the right opportunity to die by her side. She had told him to leave even during the siege of Bastion City, begged him when he refused, berated him when begging did nothing, going so far as telling him that his devotion was useless and she was never going to return his feelings. Nothing moved Blademane. She would have been touched but all she seemed to feel was a wish that it was Vanguard instead.

A trickle of magic slipped past Pyre and Nightmare Moon used it to float to the front gates. Cursing at her distraction, Pyre shoved aside all her other thoughts and focused.

* * *

><p>There was little time to get their bearings once Twilight and the rest of her friends arrived in front of FangBreaker Fortress. The Legion was pounding the front gates with catapult shot and fireballs. The snow had let up momentarily, providing a small measure of respite. Vanguard led them the front lines and then went over to speak with the siege commander.<p>

"How's the siege going?" she heard Vanguard ask.

"We're giving them a thorough beating. Losses have been minimal and we're expecting the final charge pretty soon," was the reply.

"What about Nightmare Moon?" Twilight asked.

The siege commander looked at Twilight in askance and then glanced at Vanguard, unsure if he should reply or berate this legionnaire for speaking out of turn during a conversation between him and a Special Operations Captain. When Vanguard nodded, he spoke with some reluctance. "If by "Nightmare Moon" you mean that black flaming thing that's been perched on top of the fort throughout the siege, it hasn't moved an inch since we started attacking."

As if in direct response to the siege commander's words, the burning figure descended from its perch and then jumped, only to float downward the rest of the way.

"Well, will you look at that," the siege commander muttered. "Almost like it was waiting for your group."

"She was waiting," Twilight replied grimly. Vanguard gestured for her and her friends to move forward.

"Twilight…" Vanguard said. He looked at the gates that the wolven had constructed after Pyre destroyed the previous ones. Their enemies had done well with the time and material that they had but there was no way that their makeshift gates could hold out much longer. It was badly scorched and splintered by the time he and his squad had arrived. "Finish the job," he told his new subordinate.

Twilight stepped forward in response. There were still wolven bolters on top of the gates but the pegasi were keeping them pinned with crossbow fire. There were also several earth ponies in front of her carrying enormous shields should a bolter risk getting turned into a bloody pincushion to take a shot. Upon Vanguard's request, she remembered the first time she came to the Barrier Lands with her friends and the horrific sight of the ruined gates of FangBreaker. Pyre Valor had destroyed those gates, this time it was she who was going to do something similar. She briefly went through the spells she could use. A fireball won't cut it, in one shot. No, she was going to have to use something with a stronger impact. Chunks of earth began to form in front of her, turning into a large sphere of red-glowing rock. After a few more moments of concentration, the rock burst into flames.

The siege commander looked on in awe. He was puzzled at first as to why Special Operations was working with chosen but seeing such an advanced fire spell made it clear now. The lone meteor hurtled towards the gates as if it was launched by one of their catapults. It struck the gates hard, splintering the wood and igniting it. In the next instant, it exploded into a massive blast of red-orange flames. The explosion flung smoldering splinters as far as the rear lines and left a partially burning and open path towards the fortress.

There were no cheers at the sight of the gates collapsing. No battle cries followed by a rush of charging legionnaires. For the next few moments, there was only an awed silence, like a brief calm before a storm. Several ponies stared at Twilight dumbfounded until one pony decided to give a shout. That shout was soon followed by others until there was finally a wave of legionnaires pouring in for an attack.

The wolven, after an initial daze from such a powerful blast, quickly filled the resulting opening with their troops. Legionnaires crashed into them so violently that several wolven were actually flung back into their rear lines. The air filled with snarls and howls mixing with fierce neighs, the thuds of something hard and blunt striking flesh and the awful whining of metal grinding against stone.

Twilight stepped forward to cast a spell and help out the attackers but Vanguard pulled her back. "Stay together," he told her. "This squad was brought here to deal with Nightmare Moon. Do not let yourself be distracted by anything from that mission." He turned towards the rest of his squad. "Vice-captain!" he called out.

From the back of the squad, Applejack trotted forward. In addition to her usual barding, she now had the chain she had received earlier wrapped around her neck. It was too short to be used for any form of lassoing she was used to but she insisted on keep it around just in case. Indeed, from the looks of it, it was probably only decorative. She had been assigned to rear-guard earlier, when Pinkie Pie had been briefly separated from them, to make sure that the squad stayed together. "Need something, captain?" she asked.

"Make sure the squad stays together. If the Elements need some kind of formation make sure you can get into it right away. Scarlet and I will see if we can lure her out to a more open place." Vanguard pulled out his weapon and clamped it between his teeth. He gestured at Scarlet, who was already taking to the air.

Applejack gave a salute. "Right away," she replied.

Twilight watched the exchange in confusion. It was a simple exchange between a higher-ranked legionnaire and a lower-ranked one. That was all. At least, that was what her brain told her. Applejack had told them a few nights ago about her new position. Nopony seemed to have a problem with it. She was certain that she didn't. Yet, that increasingly annoying twinge in her chest was back. It made no sense. Was she envious of Applejack's promotion? 'No,' she told herself. 'Applejack has worked very hard in the Legion so far. She deserves it.' A cold, resentful tone badgered her anyway. 'I've been working hard too. And wasn't Pyre Valor the previous vice-captain in his squad? She was a unicorn mage…'

"Twilight, what are you doing?" Applejack's sharp question shook Twilight out of her reverie. The earth pony was already wearing her necklace. "Put your big fancy crown on and let's get everypony here," she added.

The two of them turned towards the rest of their friends. None of them actually needed any prompting. The Elements of Harmony were out and ready. Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get a feel of how ready they were. The Elements of Harmony resonated silently with each other, something she realized she could feel if she concentrated hard enough. There was still a lot of wavering between them: Rainbow Dash in particular but she sensed some in Applejack as well. To her dismay, she also felt a lot from herself.

Nevertheless, actually having the Elements of Harmony with them this time seemed to have a reassuring effect. The ones who weren't used to the front lines: Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, looked a bit more confident. They could still use some more harmony but Twilight was sure that they were coming into this fight in better condition than the last time. Besides, they didn't have Fenrir howling at a distance to paralyze them.

It wasn't long until they spotted the daunting sight of Nightmare Moon's blackened aura. Twilight spotted Vanguard slowly backing up while Scarlet was hovering nearby firing bolts. She focused her attention on Nightmare Moon and immediately noticed that something was wrong. This wasn't like their previous battle and it wasn't just because of the different location or their possession of the actual Elements of Harmony.

When Nightmare Moon moved past the wolven defenders and towards Twilight's group, it wasn't through the blazing, explosive leap she had done the last time. Instead it was a slow, laborious walk that made Twilight hesitate not out of intimidation but out of sheer confusion. Was this some kind of trap? Was Nightmare Moon baiting them into attacking? Sensing weakness, the other legionnaires were about to charge in but Vanguard warned them to stay back and focus on their more mundane enemies.

"Twilight," Applejack said as she looked to the center of their formation. Twilight answered the look with a determined one followed by a nod. This wasn't the same Nightmare Moon who had so proudly attacked them.

The effect was telling. Faced with a weakened Nightmare Moon, their determination to fight on and finally defeat a dangerous foe resonated well. Everypony took a step forward and that lone step increased the flow of magic from one Element to the other. Twilight began to feel her crown hum with energy, a familiar sensation. It was the same one she felt when she and her friends drove Nightmare Moon out of Princess Luna and when they returned Discord to stone. When they took another step forward, she saw Nightmare Moon visibly flinch and raise a hoof as if to step back. More power flowed through the elements.

* * *

><p><strong><em>"Why are you still doing this?"<em>** Nightmare Moon snarled. **_"Twilight Sparkle is standing right there! Don't you want her dead?"_**

There was no response from the wretchedly obstinate Pyre Valor. Nightmare Moon took another step forward to show the Elements of Harmony, who were steadily gathering their courage, that she was not out of the fight yet. She unleashed her magic, or at least tried to. Instead of unleashing, it felt more like desperately coaxing an animal out of its den. The blackened aura of her magic was no longer ablaze with Pyre Valor's own when it finally burst from her horn. This was even worse than trying to fight against the Elements with Luna's constantly hesitant body. Her synergy with Pyre Valor had been superb because the white unicorn never hesitated. When she wanted to do something, she dove right into it so that, when they both wanted the same thing, the resulting power was incredible. Now that Pyre Valor planned on hindering both of them, she did so with equal fervor.

Pyre Valor was already weak from the struggle however. Nightmare Moon had control over all their physical form. It was their magic that the stubborn unicorn shackled and that was failing as well. The blackness spread from their body like ink spilling, threatening to engulf anypony that tried to close in. It was no field of dark tentacles but it gave even the Elements of Harmony some pause.

The pause didn't last long, Twilight Sparkle had likely gauged the amount of magic she was putting forth and realized how weakened she was. The purple unicorn's horn blazed with magic while the crown on her head began to glow. A wave of dispelling magic burst from Twilight and smashed right into the gathering darkness around her. Her weakened array easily dispersed, like a guttering candle held up during a gale.

"Now!" Twilight Sparkle cried out. More power swirled around the Elements of Harmony, centering on her crown. What started out as invisible wisps of power were now brightly colored streams of light. They swirled about until a prismatic tornado whipped into being. Nightmare Moon let out a cry of rage and frustration. It was happening again. For the second time, she was going to be beaten back by toy-wearing foals!

**_"Let go, damn you!"_** Nightmare Moon shouted at Pyre Valor. There was still no response. No words anyway. To her rage, Nightmare Moon felt a measure of amusement coming from Pyre Valor. The miserable unicorn was actually pleased by what was happening! She considered abandoning the body, itself a painful process, but it was unlikely that she would find another body remotely even compatible.

The prismatic cyclone of light enveloped Nightmare Moon, searing away any magic she tried to use. Desperate, she flailed her front hooves about to push away the inevitable banishing. **_"Not again!"_** she shouted in frustration. It couldn't end like this. Trapped in a falling fortress like a rat and then shoved aside by foals like a fly. She felt her grip on Pyre Valor slowly tear away. Desperation seared away any other concern, the only option remaining was…

**_"Master Oceanus, your handmaiden beseeches you!"_**

It was a final plea said more out of rage than any realistic belief that aid would come. The firstborn was still dormant, as was nearly all his followers. But, to complete her remaining tasks, she had to try. She wasn't going to face him with tasks still to be done. Especially with all the opportunities she had been provided with.

* * *

><p>Twilight had to admit that seeing the Elements of Harmony working in full concert was a little surprising and immensely elating. She was worried that they wouldn't be able to get the Elements to work. The light surrounded Nightmare Moon just like it did the last time all it would take now was that final flash and…<p>

**_"Master Oceanus, your handmaiden beseeches you!"_**

The sudden outburst nearly caused Twilight to lose her focus. Oceanus. She had heard the name before. Hearing it from Nightmare Moon suddenly enclosed her heart in an icy grip. The bright glare of hope that the Elements gave forth wavered.

Then Twilight saw it: a small spark of blackness that seemed to pierce the whirlwind of light surrounding Nightmare Moon. She felt the magic that accompanied that spark, a small yet chilling presence that sent the hairs on the back of her neck rising. Something was wrong. Something was going to go horribly wrong.

The light from the Elements flashed but the brilliant white explosion was tainted by great arcs of blackness and a long, drawn out and unearthly scream that set Twilight's teeth on edge. One look towards her friends told her that none of them expected it. Around them, the Legion continued to fight against the remaining wolven defenders but several had stopped to see what was going on.

That was when Twilight realized that something else was still coming after that blast: an immense explosion of harmful magic that could very well destroy her and her friends. "Everypony, stand back!" she cried out. She ran forward and raised a magical barrier. It wasn't as good as Applejack's golden shield but it was more reliable for now.

Just as Twilight predicted, another explosion, this one as dark as midnight, erupted from the still fading light. She gritted her teeth and concentrated all her magic on the shield. The last thing she saw was a wave of darkness advancing towards her and then nothing at all.

* * *

><p>The sudden explosion of darkness sent Applejack and the rest of her friends flying. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vanguard try to reach Twilight only to be sent careening off, his armor dragging loudly against the ground. She rolled on the ground for a good distance before finally coming to a stop. The clouds of dust and snow raised by the blast made her cough as well as obscured her vision. "What in the hay just happened?" she asked in between coughs.<p>

"Did we do it?" Rainbow asked as she dragged herself to her hooves just a few feet away from Applejack. "Is Nightmare Moon gone?"

"I don't know," Applejack replied. "Things went a little too smoothly. Well, except for that second explosion. I can't believe something can explode twice."

"Is anypony hurt?" came Fluttershy's worried call. They saw the yellow pegasus's hovering silhouette slowly approaching them.

"I'm fine," came Rarity's reply from behind them. "Pinkie here hit her head on the ground but she's already recovering."

"I'm over here!" came Scarlet's enthusiastic call. He flew through the dust and snow and landed next to Vanguard.

"Everypony regroup on me," Vanguard called out from the cloud. They followed suit and soon found each other. "Did you do it?" he asked them once they had gathered. "Has the threat been neutralized?"

"I dunno," Applejack replied. "I think-" She stopped when she heard a faint, metallic cracking sound just around her neck. Worried, she looked down on her necklace. To her horror, she saw a thin crack near the apple-shaped jewel. The crack quickly spread into a spidery network of lines. "No!" she cried out. "How in the hay-?"

The cracks continued to spread for another second and then the necklace completely shattered into fine, powdery pieces. With a gasp, Applejack tried to save the fragments as they fell but a stiff breeze caught them, blowing them all across the snowy plain.

Cries of alarm from Rainbow and the others told Applejack that the same was happening to them as well. She looked to them to see Rainbow desperately crawling through the ground to find any pieces and Fluttershy holding up an inch of gold chain, almost ready to burst into tears.

"How can this be?" Rarity asked in horror. "The Elements are gone!" She looked around. The dust had settled and she noticed that a lot of the legionnaires around them were also recovering. Where Nightmare Moon was standing was now an empty, still-smoking crater. "Wait a minute," she began.

Vanguard had looked around as well. At once, he saw what had caught Rarity's concern. "Where's Twilight?" he asked.

All of them looked around. Vanguard walked over near the edges of the crater to see if Twilight was down there. As he did so, something crunched underneath his tramplers. He raised his hoof and looked down.

On the ground was a crushed fragment of large crown.


	5. Unicorn Magi

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 5: Unicorn Magi**

_"What has happened to Master Oceanus?"_

Bereft of any vision, Twilight focused on what she was hearing recognizing the oily, menacing voice as Nightmare Moon's. She tried to open her eyes, only to realize that they were already open. She then tried to move about and found that none of her limbs were reacting.

_"He has already gone dormant as have most of our comrades."_

A second voice replied to Nightmare Moon's question, this one of a slightly higher pitch. Forgetting the fact that she couldn't feel anything and that the only sense that seemed to be working was her hearing, Twilight continued to listen. There was that name again. Oceanus, the prince who had been born before Princess Celestia and her siblings. But, why was she hearing these voices now? Where was she? She listened intently when Nightmare Moon spoke again.

_"I will leave my mortal body here in dormancy while I venture out to strike against any agents the Eternal Herd sends. Thus, I will pave the way for our master's rise without risk of being permanently destroyed. You must stay awake here and turn these mortal ponies into a proper welcome for our master."_

_"How can you affect anything in this world without your mortal body? Have you forgotten how it works already?"_

_"I will work through hosts. There will be others out there who will become compatible with me."_

_"As you say then. When our master awakens, I expect the rest of this world to be ready to fall."_

_"And, when I reunite with my mortal body, I expect a proper army for him out of these mortal ponies swimming about."_

_"For the rightful king, Lunalux Umbra!"_

_"For the rightful king, Solis Coruscaria."_

Twilight wanted to listen some more but, just as things were slowly beginning to make sense, something struck her mind violently like an indignant slap to the face. The words halted abruptly and, all of a sudden, she started to feel again. The first sensation to come back was touch. She was cold, freezing. She found herself shivering uncontrollably. Smell and hearing followed suit. She could hear the sounds of snow crunching against hooves…or were they paws? She could hear guttural, unfamiliar language being exchange and smell the familiar foul odor of wolven. Sight and a sense of direction were the last to come back. When Twilight's vision cleared, it was then she realized that she had fallen on her side and was half-buried in the snow.

The wolven presence brought back her alertness quickly. She tried to get to her hooves but succeeded only on getting to a kneeling position. She looked around to determine where her enemies were and cringed inwardly. She was somewhere in the middle of a vast field of snow with a pack of wolven closing in on all sides. She felt around her head. The Element of Magic was not on it.

Fireball. That was the first spell that came to Twilight's mind. She had observed that the wolven were particularly not fond of fire. She was feeling a little woozy and drained. A fireball would be simple enough to cause some damage and give them some pause to buy her time. Her horn crackled with magic, ready to channel her power into a ball of exploding flame.

Before she could complete the spell, however, her vision blurred slightly and her balance failed. She staggered a few steps forward, her mind going into a panic. As she expected, the wolven snarled in anticipation at the sign of weakness and closed the distance swiftly. She was still desperately trying to complete the spell when the first wolven's claws were inches from her face. At the last moment, however, fire did blaze up and consume her attacker. For a second, she thought that she had completed her spell and was lucky that she didn't blow herself up by using a fireball on a wolven so close. Another second passed and she realized that she was still "holding" her fireball. Some other fire spell had taken out her attacker. The blaze distracted the wolven as they searched for the source of the new threat, allowing her to lob her fireball towards a trio of them that had mistakenly decided to clump together.

The white-hot sphere connected with one the three and erupted into a searing blast. There were no screams this time. She had learned her lesson. The knowledge that she had killed them was still there but the pitched cries that tore at her insides were not. Owlsight's admonition was never meant to completely make it alright to burn wolven with impunity, just to lessen the impact enough to keep her from going mad. The blaze was so intense that the wolven died instantly. Instinctively, she covered her nose with a hoof, still unnerved by the awful spell that wafted from those that burned to death.

"What's the matter, Twilight Sparkle? The smell of battle too strong for your delicate little nose?"

The familiar mocking tone caught Twilight by surprise. There was no mistaking the stinging remark and the angry voice that carried it. She found herself among the wolven looking for the pony who had cast the earlier fire spell. She spotted the white unicorn mare standing across her, horn already ablaze with another fire spell. She caught a glimpse of Pyre Valor's eyes and, as usual, found nothing but angry contempt in the other unicorn's gaze. "Pyre Valor…" she whispered harshly. Now, she was unsure which to focus her next offensive spell, the pack of bloodthirsty wolven or the traitorous unicorn mage. She assessed the situation briefly. The wolven surrounding them were of the smallest sort, likely a party for the fleeing main army. She didn't even see any bolters. This was likely a foraging party of sorts that accidentally ran into her and hoped for an easy meal.

A pair of wolven jumped at Pyre Valor but, without even taking her eyes off Twilight, she lit one ablaze halfway through its jump. With a yelp, it collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony. She sidestepped the other one, already focusing on another spell. The wolven snarled and recovered, rearing up on its hind legs to scratch at her. With a grunt of annoyance, she completed the spell. Her horn sprouted a curved blade of concentrated flame, several feet in length. She ducked under the wolven's claws and then slashed up, cleaving it in two. The wolven's halves crashed right next to her. There wasn't even a spatter of blood from its completely cauterized wounds.

Suddenly finding themselves caught between two spell-wielding ponies, the remaining wolven, decided to focus on one target only. Twilight tensed once it was clear that the wolven picked her. She didn't know if she should be flattered that the wolven considered her a bigger threat or angry that they thought she was the easier target. Her heart was racing either way. The wolven were too close and she didn't have a line of earth pony infantry to engage them or even a few friends to rely on. She reared up and pointed her forelegs towards one wolven that was edging in too close for comfort. Twin jets of flame burst from her front hooves. The short ranged spell caught the wolven just at its edges, lighting its fur on fire and sending it rolling on the ground in a panic.

"Shield up!" Pyre Valor suddenly shouted.

The ease by which Pyre's voice could cut through anything occupying her mind at the moment, surprised Twilight. She dropped the next spell she was about to cast and focused on raising the same shield she had used against Nightmare Moon. Only a second after she completed the spell, she looked up to find a quartet of meteors only a few feet away. She looked away as fiery chunks of rock collided with her shield.

Despite having her eyes closed, Twilight winced at the bright light that penetrated her eyelids anyway when the meteors exploded. She cried out as hard as she could but her voice was completely drowned out by the ear-shattering boom. She almost fell to her knees and she was afraid that her ears would start bleeding. Her dome-shaped shield dispersed the shockwave and the flames all around it but she couldn't help but feel a prickling sensation all over her body at being so close to so much destructive power.

The blast dispersed and the clouds of dust, smoke and ashes began to slowly settle. Twilight doubted that any wolven had survived that spell. They had surrounded and closed in on her, hoping to bring her down and then focus on Pyre Valor. That was a big mistake easily capitalized by a unicorn mage whose love of magic was synonymous to her love of fiery explosions. She kept her shield up and waited warily. She fully expected a second barrage of meteors to come at her any moment now with the wolven gone.

Several tense moments passed but no explosions followed. Not even a singular blast of flame or angry curse came from Pyre Valor. As she waited, Twilight fought down one particular feeling that was welling up inside her. It wasn't the disgust at the horrid smell nor was it the fear of facing down a unicorn mage that had previously beaten her in a fight. No. It was a more insidious feeling that she refused to acknowledge. It was…admiration. She now knew a lot of fire spells thanks to all the time she spent studying. She also knew that she could match Pyre Valor as far as raw power was concerned. But, the sequence by which Pyre easily took out her attackers was something to watch and learn from. Pyre Valor made it look easy, transitioning from attacking at long range to short range bursts to attacking with a melee spell without any sign of hesitation or panic. Twilight had to admit that no amount of reading or even sparring could give her that sort of ease, only battle after battle of experience. When all the dust and ashes settled, she found the white unicorn standing just a foot away from her shield.

"How long are you going to waste your strength on that shield?" Pyre Valor asked. "The wolven are all dead, coward. We'd better move or more will come looking for their foragers."

The mere surprise of having Pyre Valor talk to her instead of attacking was almost enough for Twilight to bring her shield down. She caught herself and kept a guarded stance. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "Aren't you going to attack me?"

"No and your inane questions are making that decision difficult." Pyre Valor looked around. Twilight guessed that it was to ascertain their position. She tried to do the same and failed. She didn't know the landmarks of this land but she had to be sure that they were heading for FangBreaker Fortress as opposed to slowly crossing the border to Wolvengard. With the sun already setting, it was easy to determine where south was at least. Whether it was going to be equally easy avoiding the rest of the fleeing wolven army has yet to be seen.

Twilight eyed Pyre warily and then slowly dispersed her shield. She didn't relax though. When Pyre began to walk on, she followed slowly behind. "Wait," she said. "Are you…just you? What happened to Nightmare Moon?"

Pyre Valor stopped for a moment. "She's gone," she replied. "I don't know where she went but your last attack banished her somewhere. She teleported at the last moment and we were caught up in its wake somehow. Now, keep walking."

Still perplexed, Twilight obeyed for now. Perhaps, once they came to a location that Pyre deemed safe, the white unicorn would start explaining. It was a difficult walk however. She was constantly half a shield spell away. Each time Pyre Valor made or looked like she was about to make a sudden move left her on edge.

"Hey," Pyre finally said.

Twilight nearly completed the shield spell but stopped at the last moment. "What is it?" she asked.

"When you were out…did you experience some kind of vision? Something about Nightmare Moon talking with somepony."

"Solis Coruscaria," Twilight said in acknowledgement. "I did. Did it happen to you to?"

Pyre Valor was silent for a time. "I thought it was just some worthless dream. I think I'm beginning to understand a little."

"What do you mean? What happened during that explosion?"

The annoyed look that Pyre shot her told Twilight that the prodding was not appreciated. But, this was Pyre Valor. Twilight guessed that the fact that she was still alive was not appreciated from Pyre Valor's end. It wasn't just annoyance that she saw on the other unicorn's face. It seemed that Pyre herself wasn't entirely sure as to why she wasn't hurling angry fire spells.

"While we were linked, Nightmare Moon was able to peer into my memories but the reverse wasn't true," Pyre finally explained. "When she was about to be banished from my body, she let her guard down in desperation."

"But, I was able to see as well, how was that possible?"

"Must be because you're such a nosy nag you managed to listen in."

Twilight swallowed an angry retort. She had a lot to find out and she didn't know how long Pyre Valor was going to stay amiable. "That's not a feasible explanation," she said.

"I'm surprised you noticed," was the flat reply. "I don't know how you listened in. Maybe it had something to do with the clash of magic. You had Nightmare Moon's collapsing defenses, that touchy-feely beam of rainbows and sunshine and…whatever it was that Nightmare Moon called out at the last moment. Did you add anything to that mix?"

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "I threw up a shield to protect the others," she said. "I was also standing at the center of that blast from the Elements of Harmony."

Pyre Valor didn't say anything after that. Instead, she quickened her pace.

"The wind's picking up," Twilight said as a breeze caused her mane to fly about. To make matters worse, it was also starting to get dark. If they didn't make it to FangBreaker Fortress soon they were going to be caught in a blizzard at night. She was still wearing her mage-coat. The outfit should protect her to a had to quicken her pace as well. This was a familiar sight, trudging across the plain behind an uncaring Pyre Valor. When she still received no response, she trotted over and put a hoof on Pyre Valor's shoulder.

The next moment, Twilight found herself sprawling on the ground with her face aching. "Don't touch me," Pyre hissed. Twilight rolled to her hooves quickly, ready to defend herself from another attack. Instead, she found Pyre already turning her back and walking on.

"Hold on!" Twilight called out. "What's going on, Pyre Valor? What's with this sudden truce? What are you going to do now?" When the other unicorn kept walking, Twilight cast her spell. A thin bolt of lightning, barely enough to give any pony a mild jolting sensation, flew from her horn and past Pyre Valor's face, missing by only an inch. "Stop running away from me!" she shouted.

The bolt had come close enough for Pyre to feel a little heat on her cheek. She stopped in her tracks, her teeth grinding together as she fought back her natural instincts, instincts which seemed to be "break Twilight Sparkle's legs and leave her for what would undoubtedly be their wolven trackers". "I'm trying to keep you alive here, Twilight Sparkle," she said, her voice even.

"This is coming from a mare who told me she was going to kill me for showing her that the chosen can be strong too," Twilight retorted.

"The situation has changed since then."

"How?"

"Can't you just take things in stride?" Pyre snapped. "Terrato's blood-smeared hooves, every time you open your putrid mouth, you make this decision twice as hard!"

Twilight let out a long, frustrated exhalation. She would have continued to stand still there, but the sun had all but completely set. Pyre was right, they had to keep moving. Besides, she also realized that she was completely lost here. Pyre Valor seemed to have a good bearing on where they were. Without the combative unicorn as a guide, she would probably wander around hoping that somepony found her, and then freeze to death or be overtaken by wolven.

The two of them spent hours, or perhaps it just felt like hours for Twilight, just walking in darkness. She focused on the steady crunching of their hooves in the snow and making sure that she was just a few feet behind Pyre. Though it was difficult to see in the dark, she followed the heat radiating from the white unicorn. Bereft of a mage-coat, Pyre was using another fire spell to stay warm.

'She's steadily using up her magic. At this rate, I can-!' Twilight nearly hit herself in indignation. That was a horrible thought. Was her drive to beat Pyre Valor that bad? Sure, constant insults and the several attempts on her life merited some hostility, but…she shook her head. If she was going to fight Pyre, it was going to be a fair fight. Her mind went to other things. It galled her that she actually needed Pyre Valor to get back to FangBreaker just as it galled her that something had happened during that last clash of magic that she didn't understand . The silence didn't make them move any faster, it just left her to stew on her own. "So how has the situation changed?" she asked again. This time she kept her tone low, submissive even. Perhaps if she could get past the other unicorn's hair-trigger temper, she might get a discussion going.

Her tentative question was met with even more silence.

More time passed. Twilight had consigned herself to walking for hours in total silence and darkness when Pyre finally decided to speak. "How's Vanguard?" she asked.

"He's fine," Twilight replied. It wasn't the topic she wanted, but they were talking now. "Those burn marks you left him are still there but he's doing well."

"Good."

Twilight strained to hear that last word. It was a rare moment of Pyre Valor expressing something besides anger and she didn't want to miss it. To her embarrassment, the white unicorn suddenly looked back in time to catch her leaning in. "Do I get to ask you a question this time?" Twilight asked.

Again, there was silence. Twilight picked up her pace so that she was walking beside Pyre Valor. "You're not being fair," she said.

"This world is full of injustice," Pyre replied.

"And you're just adding to it. Why-?"

"Are you so desperate to know why I haven't tried to kill you?"

"Yes. I mean, not so desperate that I'd do anything but-!"

Pyre let out a slow exhale. "I still want to kill you, if you have to know," she answered. "I'd be very happy to gut you on the spot with my teeth right now."

Twilight tensed again. This was now sounding like the Pyre Valor she knew. "Why aren't you?" she asked. "It's what you want, right?"

"If I had spent my life doing the things I wanted to instead of things I had to, I'd have some pathetic sparkling things on my flank too."

"That's not how cutie marks work…" Twilight muttered.

"Shut your mouth and listen or we can end this talk right now."

"Fine, I'll keep quiet."

"When I woke up, I planned on going north. I was going to throw myself at Wolvengard until I was dead. To my bad luck, I spotted you about to be eaten. I had to change my plans."

"That doesn't make any-!" Twilight caught herself and fell silent again.

Pyre Valor's voice lowered as she went on. "I'm going to die soon, Twilight Sparkle. I had hoped that it was while fighting wolven, not dangling on a rope for the nag princess's amusement."

"She's not a nag and your hanging won't amuse her!"

Pyre paid the comment no heed and continued. "Before I go, I still want the Legion to be as strong as ever. Especially after the price I asked it to pay. You're part of some weapon that can hurt even something like Nightmare Moon. The Legion should keep that weapon even if I want you dead. Also…"

Pyre's voice trailed off, much to Twilight's curiosity. She wanted to prod the white unicorn, but she knew that it would only succeed in shutting Pyre up completely. Fortunately, Pyre did continue without the need for prompting.

"I want Vanguard to have a strong unicorn mage by his side. Somepony who won't throw a fireball at him at some point. The choice was either you or Nightcanter. You're just a slightly better choice than that ravening ditch pig."

"I'm flattered," Twilight muttered. She didn't miss the part about Pyre about to die however. That had her thinking again. How would that possibly feel? Knowing that your death was imminent one way or another…how could Pyre continue to act as she did with that kind of weight upon her?

"Quiet!" Pyre suddenly hissed. The urgency in the tone told Twilight that it was important that she did as told this time. Pyre had stopped as well, prompting her to do the same. With her vision almost useless in the darkness, she concentrated on listening intently. "Wings," Pyre said softly.

Both of them looked up. Outlined by the light of the moon were the silhouettes of several pegasi flying about. They carried lanterns constructed so that the light focused into a cone-shaped beam. They flew low and seemed to be searching for something.

"Just as I expected," Pyre groused. "You have become important enough." She fired a spell straight into the air, a small but brilliant, sparkling sphere that could be seen from a long way away. The pegasi were quick to converge on them.

"Over here!" one of the pegasi said. Twilight and Pyre found themselves surrounded. The sight of Twilight seemed to relieve the pegasi but they tensed up right away when they focused on Pyre Valor. One pegasus took out a piece of paper, glanced at it, and then nodded at his fellows. They pointed their crossbows at her, anger and fear mixing on their faces. "Pyre Valor," the lead pegasus said, "you're under arrest for-!"

"I know what I did, you flying mule!" Pyre snapped. She held out her hooves and scowled in impatience. "Clap me in irons already!"

Taken aback by the ferocity of their "prisoner", the pegasi approached her warily and then produced a length of rope to tie her up. Through it all, Pyre didn't so much as flinch. Twilight watched the white unicorn, more unwelcome admiration welling up inside. Another pegasus hovered by her side to offer her a lift.

"Your friends are causing a stir in the fort," the pegasus said. "We're lucky to have found you quickly."

"Yes," Twilight said softly, not taking her eyes off Pyre.,he unicorn mage whose actions she might not fully understand. Pyre's fate seemed perfectly clear. It was a fate that she and Vanguard had consigned herself to. Yet…Twilight couldn't help but dislike that notion. For all the anger the other unicorn mage stirred in her, for all the nights she spent learning every possible means to win their next fight, she didn't want Pyre Valor to die. Not like this.

With a flutter of wings, the two unicorn magi were taken aloft and straight to FangBreaker Fortress.


	6. Two Royal Sisters

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 6: Two Royal Sisters**

"Your papers are in order, Sun Drop. I'm glad to see more volunteers coming to help out here. Report to Task Sergeant Moldbreak over there so you can start."

With that, the sentry handed Celestia's "papers" back and nodded her along. It had only been half an hour since she left the Grand Meeting Hall and some guards already found her suspicious. She wasn't surprised. Every pony in Bastion City moved with purpose while she wandered about observing all the activity. At first, she wanted to visit Twilight and her friends, but one of the Special Operations ponies watching out for her had mentioned that the Elements of Harmony had just been deployed earlier that morning. She ended up wandering about just taking in the sights of the city. That was all it took for a sentry to notice that she wasn't doing anything useful. Fortunately, her brother's Special Operations ponies had provided her with a means to maintain her disguise. Her new papers stayed true to the identity Terrato had provided her. She was Sun Drop, one of the many volunteers now streaming into Bastion City to help prepare for the offensive.

However, staying true to her disguise also meant that she had to take part in the work the volunteers were tasked with. She walked over to Task Sergeant Moldbreak, a burly, square-jawed earth pony with a tan coat and a cropped dark brown mane. He was directing several groups of earth ponies when he noticed Celestia. With a frown and flick of a foreleg, he gestured for her to come over. "You come to this city alone, lass?" he asked. "Where'd you come from?"

"Hearthstone City, sir," Celestia answered.

"Hearthstone!" Moldbreak exclaimed fondly. "Haven't been down there for ten years! Is old Blackdamp still running the mines?"

Celestia felt her heartbeat quicken. This was certainly an unexpected situation to come to so early. "I'm afraid I don't know who that pony is," she replied. A quick and innocent admission would be better than a steadily rising mountain of lies for this situation.

"Pah! Filly!" Moldbreak groused. "Anyway, let's put you to work, Sun Drop." He looked at the list he held in his hooves. "Let's see…looks like they need a few more hooves for corpse duty. Head on over to the execution grounds to start off."

Celestia swallowed a lump in her throat. "Corpse duty" didn't sound like a pleasant task. "May I ask what 'corpse duty' entails?" she asked.

Moldbreak looked at her as if she had asked what the hair growing on her head was called. "We're still cleaning up after all the recent battles," he said tentatively. He looked unsure if the mare in front of him was simply making fun of him or was actually serious. "We need ponies to haul our dead in for identification and burial. You and a bunch of others are going to spend your time dragging dead bodies around and digging graves. Now, get over to the execution grounds. You're starting with that latest batch of Black Rose rebels they caught." He motioned to a couple of earth ponies, a stallion and a mare, who were already on the move. "Go on and follow them if you don't know where the execution grounds are."

Celestia nodded and did as she was told. She felt a little awkward, taking orders from a mortal pony. It wasn't that the feeling was unpleasant. Far from it. There was a certain comfort in being told what to do instead of deciding for others.

"So what's your name, miss?" the stallion asked Celestia as soon as they were on the move. They rounded one corner and then took a side road, avoiding the incoming heavy traffic brought by a long line of supply wagons.

"It's Sun Drop," Celestia replied. The friendly smile on the stallion's face let her relax a bit. For all her fears of Terrato's ponies being savage monsters, they had, so far, behaved politely and calmly.

"I'm Knifepoint and this is my sister, Hilt Twist," the stallion continued. He had a coppery coat and a long, unkempt mane of green. His sister was a more subdued golden-brown and had a short, curly mane of the same green as his.

Hilt Twist poked her brother with a hoof as they continued walking. "You promised to keep your flirting in line, brother," she said with a frown. She also smiled when she shifted her attention to Celestia. "Did you come to Bastion City all by yourself?"

"I came with my siblings," Celestia replied. She paused as she said that and looked towards the direction of the Grand Meeting Hall. Terrato was occupied by his invasion plans and how to best utilize the Heartland. Luna was back in Canterlot, dealing with the mess that she should be dealing with. While they worked on those agendas, she was out here just observing. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty. "They're busy with their own tasks at the moment," she added.

"Who isn't?" Knifepoint remarked. "It's been crazy these past few days. First, there are all the horror stories about the north about to be overrun by wolven. Now, we're actually launching our own invasion!"

"About time we took the fight to Wolvengard, I say," Hilt Twist added.

Celestia appraised the two carefully. These two weren't bloodthirsty killers. Far from it, they looked like simple farmers who simply came out here to help. "Do you really think that invading Wolvengard is a good idea?" she asked them.

"Of course it is!" Knifepoint answered. "Can you imagine what would it be like if we wiped the wolven out or got them to stop attacking for good? No more worrying about their raiders sneaking into your farm or attacking a vital caravan…a peaceful Northern Barrier Land. We can send support to the west and south so it'll only be a matter of time until they start pushing forward."

"I'm only calling it a good idea once we win," Hilt Twist said. "Who knows what'll happen in Wolvengard? Even if we win all our battles, it's going to be a long and brutal march to the north. How many of our own will die before we win?"

"Dying to bring an end to Wolvengard's invasions?" Knifepoint replied. "I think that's a good end."

"So how come you haven't joined the Legion?" Hilt Twist asked.

An embarrassed look crossed Knifepoint's face. "You know I want to," he replied to his sister's sharp question. "But who's going to manage the farm if I sign up? Dad's not getting any younger and you can't do it alone. With Wintercoat and Grizzleback already signed up, the farm can't afford having me gone."

"If your farm needs you, why have you come all the way here?" Celestia asked.

"Harvest's done for this year," Knifepoint replied. "With all the big things happening to the Legion recently, everypony should be coming here to help with invasion preparations. Even if it's just a few months worth of volunteer work, I'd-"

"We're here already," Hilt Twist interrupted. They stepped out of the street and into their destination.

The execution grounds were wide, flat spaces of concrete just behind Bastion City Prison where punishment was meted out for criminals of all sorts. The prison itself was small. From what Luna had mentioned earlier, there were few crimes in the Barrier Lands punishable by imprisonment. Preferred non-lethal punishments included whipping, branding, docking and heavy fines. Ponies stuck in prison were those unable to pay their fines, and they usually spent most of the day in hard labor.

The three of them entered through what appeared to be a back entrance just behind the gallows. Another earth pony mare, this one wearing the chain barding of a legionnaire, stood there waiting for them.

"About time I got some volunteers for corpse duty over here!" the earth pony said impatiently. "The first batch just got finished! Get over here and haul these rebels to that wagon before the next batch piles in!"

Celestia barely heard the barked orders. For a moment, she stared at the huge, wooden gallows that dominated the execution grounds. Eight ponies, their heads covered in black cloth, hung by their necks while a crowd watched from the opposite side of where she was. The bodies were already limp and a steady breeze made them swing slightly. A pony was already cutting one of them down while Knifepoint and Hilt Twist stood at the ready to haul it to the nearby wagon.

"Over here, Sun Drop!" Knifepoint called out. When the first body dropped on his legs, he and Hilt Twist wrestled with the sudden load briefly before getting a good grip.

Celestia went over to them hesitantly. Her facial expression remained calm, all the while she fighting down the horror at what she was seeing. Ponies killing each other. Not just that, they were doing so with an audience eager to watch and a process that reduced the act to just one more task. She doubted that she'll ever get used to this sight. Knifepoint placed the first dead pony on his back and began to carry it over the wagon while the legionnaire on top of the gallows cut down a second body. "Who are these ponies?" Celestia asked. "Why did they have to die like this?"

"Save your pity," the legionnaire on top of the gallows said as she dropped a body on Hilt Twist's waiting hooves. "These are Black Rose rebels. Ponies who turn on their fellows don't deserve any mercy."

With a grunt, Hilt Twist lifted the corpse onto her back. "Black Rose rebels?" she asked. "What are those?"

"Prince-damned traitors are what they are," the legionnaire replied. She cut down a third corpse and looked over to Celestia, motioning for her to get into position. "They were against the barrier set up by Princess Celestia so they decided to help the wolven so our prince would have no choice other than to turn to the Heartland for help."

Though Celestia had braced herself for the weight, the impact of the body nearly buckled her legs. She shook as she recovered, suddenly aware that it has been a long time since she had lifted anything physically and that she may have overestimated how much she had recovered from having her power stolen.

"You alright there, Sun Drop?" Knifepoint asked. He walked over to help but both Hilt Twist's hoof on his shoulder and a shake of Celestia's head stopped him.

"Nopony likes being a burden, Knifepoint," Hilt Twist said softly. The two of them walked past Celestia as she walked slowly but steadily towards the cart. She placed the dead body there gently and then wiped some sweat from her brow. She paused midway to check her now damp foreleg. Exertion…yet another thing she had yet to get used to. She had tired herself out before, but it was from using up her magical strength. Sweating, breathing hard and feeling the burn on some of her muscles were not everyday sensations.

"What's the matter there, volunteer?" the legionnaire on top of the gallows called out. "Never seen your own sweat before? Hurry, they're lining up the second batch of rebels!"

They repeated the same motions, eventually placing all the bodies onto the cart. When the ninth body was loaded, Celestia was panting heavily. She looked up in time to find that the gallows were occupied again. Six more ponies were led to prepared nooses. Four of them already had black cloth draped over their faces. The fifth was struggling against the pair of legionnaires that were holding him.

"Nags!" the pony shouted. "You nags! Killing me won't bring back the lives that were lost!" One legionnaire struggled to get the black cloth over the struggling pony's head. "You hang us as traitors, but we were the ones who did what had to be done! Look to the south! The barrier's gone! Who do you think you should thank? The Legion?"

The gathered crowd booed and jeered as the legionnaires continued to struggle. Celestia wanted to stop the gristly affair, but she knew she would accomplish nothing other than causing more trouble. She also thought about speaking to Terrato about his methods, but how long had he been executing ponies like this? How many rebels had he killed to protect her barrier? She felt a weight, a weight greater than any corpse slung over her back, come down on her shoulders. She pictured hundreds of ponies hanging by Terrato's orders, all for the sake of protecting the Heartland.

_"An ocean of blood has soaked him and the corpses of millions weigh down on his shoulders. You would know of what he has become!"_

'An ocean of blood has soaked me as well…and I didn't even notice.' Celestia lowered her head, unable to watch the execution.

Finally, one of the legionnaires smashed a hoof against the struggling pony's face while the other one slipped the cloth over his head while he was stunned. They dragged the pony to position and placed the noose around his neck.

"Is there no way they can be pardoned?" Celestia asked Knifepoint. The muffled shouting from one of the condemned clawed at her insides. Her two companions continued to watch as a second wagon wheeled into place behind them.

"Why should we even try?" Knifepoint asked. He let himself smile grimly as the proceedings continued. "I hated that barrier too, but they turned on their brothers and sisters in the Legion…nothing's worth that. They should hang."

Celestia looked on sadly as the trapdoors beneath the condemned ponies swung open. They fell and jerked once before going limp. The legionnaires inspected each body, making sure that it was dead. Then, they began to cut them down while Celestia and the others moved into place. When all the bodies were hauled onto the second wagon, they were handed shovels. "That is a lot of graves to dig," Celestia said quietly as she stared at the two wagon-loads of corpses. A couple of volunteers were already pulling them away.

"Graves?" the legionnaire that had cut down the bodies said as he walked past Celestia. "We're not burying these ones! Traitors don't get to be absorbed into our prince's element. No, we're going to have an open pit fire and burn them."

A second legionnaire walked over and watched the wagons pull away. Celestia and her companions were about to move on when he spoke. "With the barrier down, maybe the stink will waft all the way to the south and cause Princess Celestia to start choking," he said.

The two legionnaires laughed grimly among themselves. Celestia glanced at them briefly before moving on. Her shoulders were aching and she already felt sick. 'She already is,' she told them wordlessly.

* * *

><p>"Greetings, citizens of Ponyville," Luna said before a gathered group of ponies. She kept her voice soft this time. She had learned her lesson. While she was not greeted by screams of terror, the town's reception of her did not exactly exude warmth. She had come without any guards for this part of her tour of the Heartland. The presence of armored, stern-looking ponies made it more difficult to talk to the Heartland's increasingly worried citizens. Though, now that she thought about it, the Heartland was going to have to get used to the presence of grim, armed and armored pony soldiers from now on. Even now, she had but to look at the crowd and she could practically smell the fear. The only reason that they didn't cower like the ponies in Manehattan did was that she had spent just a bit more time to get to know these ponies better.<p>

It grated on Luna to admit it, but she was relieved that Black Rose continued to perform Celestia's duties. If the sun had stopped rising, Celestia's sudden absence and the strangeness of her decree would have sparked a realm-wide panic that Nightmare Moon had returned and all of these ponies right now would be fleeing in terror.

"Your highness…" The mayor stepped forward hesitantly, her head bowed so low that it almost touched the ground. She held up a copy of Celestia's decree with a shaking hoof. "We received this decree some days ago, but we're not sure what it means."

"And I am here to explain just that," Luna replied. The other ponies stepped closer as she began her explanation. Her first attempts at Canterlot had not gone very well, partly because the ponies of the Heartland found it difficult to even grasp the idea that she was presenting to them and partly because she was hesitant and unsure of the best way to clarify the situation. The nobility took some time to let the truth sink in. When it did the reactions were…unclear. There was no panic or rioting, not even outrage over the idea that Celestia had hidden something so important from them. Instead, what she saw was a slow, simmering fear, a fear that she doubted that they understood or were even aware of when they returned to their homes. An unseen terror was permeating the Heartland and none of its inhabitants had any clue how to deal with it. They instinctively knew that running or hiding in one's house did no good. They couldn't even pinpoint the source of this fear. All they knew was that Equestria now had enemies. But, just how exactly would all these new things affect their lives? There were so many things to consider and worry about that they were simply overwhelmed into inactivity.

Even with Luna there to speak about it, the ponies of the Heartland simply could not grasp the gravity of the situation. It was frightening and saddening to think that they would probably only see what was now being asked of them when they were finally faced with Equestria's enemies. 'When legionnaires start knocking on their doors, they might have a clearer idea,' she thought.

"Your highness, what is this Equestrian Legion?" one pony asked.

"Are we going to meet this Prince Terrato? Why haven't we heard of him before?"

"Is Princess Celestia alright? What happened to her?"

"Can I join this Legion for a week and then go back here? I can't leave my garden for too long."

"Can't the Royal Guard deal with whatever's attacking us?"

It was the same as every settlement Luna had gone through, with only some slight variations. Facing these innocently asked questions was heartbreaking. She almost felt that Terrato was asking for too much. That she as was asking for too much.

"What about my sister and her friends?"

There was no mistaking the childish voice that asked that question. It cut through the confused murmurings of the crowd with such ease that everypony turned to see who it was. Luna found herself looking at a yellow earth pony filly with a bright red mane. She remembered seeing this one before, back in Canterlot when she was angrily leaving her sister's room. The filly was flanked by her friends, a white unicorn with a curly, pink and purple mane and an orange pegasus. Behind her was the red stallion and the old mare she had also seen in Canterlot before.

"The letter said Applejack ain't a criminal so where is she? Is she still banished?"

"No, she is not," Luna replied. For the first time since she came back to the Heartland, she found something to smile about. She approached the filly and gave her a reassuring pat on the head. She turned to speak to the crowd. "Applejack and the rest of the so-called 'criminals' are, in fact, heroes and should be welcomed as such when they make their return here!"

The wide, beaming smile on the filly's face alone made this trip worth it, as was the wave of joy from her family. Ever since Luna promised the Apple family her help back when they begged for it in the royal palace, she had hoped to accomplish something like this. The murmurings among the crowd began to take a tone of relief. Ponyville had not dismissed Twilight and her friends as criminals after all.

"Then, they're coming home soon, right?" the yellow filly asked. She and her friends were already doing a little dance among themselves.

"No…" Luna replied, sad that she had to spoil their growing cheer. When their smiles turned into confused dejection, she knew she had to add some consolation. "They're part of the Legion now and they have much to do to continue protecting Equestria." It warmed her heart to see some hope return to the three. The pegasus filly spoke up inquisitively.

"Then, can we join the Legion so we can help them out?"

The curly-maned unicorn brightened even more at the idea. "That's a great idea! Maybe we can earn our cutie marks there!"

The response took Luna aback. That was something she hadn't thought about. Cutie Marks. For the first time In the Heartland's entire history, cutie marks involving the Legion and the things it did will start appearing. That would certainly be quite a conversation between her siblings now that the barrier was down. Those enchantments were still in place, a strange choice by Black Rose. Will Terrato start marking the Barrier Lands ponies or will he insist on removing the ones on the Heartland ponies? A yank on her tail put a stop to all her speculation.

"So can we join the Legion, your highness?" the three fillies asked..

"I'm afraid that the three of you are too young," Luna replied. She was about to add "perhaps when you're older", but she stopped herself. That just didn't sound right. She wished that the need to draft ponies would no longer be there by the time these three had grown up.

"What about us, your highness?" a pony from the crowd asked. "Are all of us going to join the Legion now?"

"One pony per family," Luna replied. More questions followed and she began to answer each one in earnest.

The day wore on and it was almost evening when Luna prepared to leave Ponyville. After trying to make the situation as clear as possible for the villagers, she had spent some extra time visiting the families of Twilight's friends, just like she visited the purple unicorn's parents back in Canterlot. Seeing their relief and pride as she told of what had actually happened to their family was likely going to be the one bright spot in this long tour. She wanted it done as quickly as possible. Legionnaires was already entering the Heartland, but she had instructed them to camp out in the wilderness, away from any settlements until she gave the go ahead. There were other things entering the Heartland as well. The Royal Guard had already reported seeing a great amount of rumbling from the dragon territories. The Draco'dim had already begun enforcing their "code". That was another problem that had to be dealt with sooner or later.

For now, she had to raise the moon and then fly off to the next settlement.


	7. Divided Feelings

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 7: Divided Feelings**

To walk the halls of FangBreaker Fortress again felt like a triumph in itself for Vanguard Clash. It didn't matter that many of the walls were still covered in wolven graffiti. This was his home. More so than the house he was born in back at Bastion City. He hoped that his quarters had not been heavily vandalized. He remembered seeing the look on one Infantry Captain's face when his quarters turned out to have been converted into a latrine.

Vanguard's destination wasn't his room for now, however. He descended the stairs to the dungeons, one of the first few sections of the fortress that the Legion had operational after reclaiming the fort. The battle to secure FangBreaker had concluded quickly after Nightmare Moon's disappearance. The sight of their "Moon-Shadow" being blasted by light so soon after their army had been decimated by a similar spell all but crushed the wolven defenders' morale. What followed was more of a slaughter than a proper battle. The Legion smashed the wolven resistance into isolated pockets within the fort and then systematically crushed those pockets. Vanguard kept his new squad out of most of the fighting. When Twilight Sparkle disappeared and their jewelry shattered, most of the fight had been knocked out of them anyway. He had them busy searching for their missing friend. A fruitless search in the end.

A pair of guards stood in front of the main entrance to the dungeons. They were the first of the several pairs assigned to guard the two prisoners that the Legion made during FangBreaker's reclamation. Both saluted when Vanguard approached. "I want to talk with the prisoner," he told them.

"Of course, Captain Vanguard Clash," one of the guards replied. He opened the door and stepped aside.

Echoing the same principle behind Bastion City's prison, FangBreaker's dungeons were small for the population they housed. Vanguard walked through the torch-lit corridor, passing by four more guards as he did so. At the second corridor, he finally came upon the cell of one of the fort's two prisoners. Two more guards stood by the cell. He looked at these ones closely, taking note of the dents on their plated barding. One guard's champron was severely dented inward. Vanguard could see some blood from beneath the plating. The other guard's chest plate was badly dented as well. "How's the prisoner?" he asked.

"Still alive, sir," the other guard replied. The way he spoke only confirmed what Vanguard had guessed. The guard mumbled painfully, likely the result of a badly swollen cheek.

"I want to speak to her alone." Vanguard said.

The two guards looked at each other hesitantly. "I don't know, sir, she was a member of your-"

"The two of you have already taken some liberties with the pony who almost burned my face off," Vanguard said. "I'm sure you can grant me that opportunity as well."

Both guards blanched at his hardened stare. "Just a few minutes," one guard said. Both of them left the hall and closed the door behind them. Once they were gone, Vanguard stepped closer and peered between the tempered steel bars.

After she surrendered to the same scouts that had found Twilight Sparkle, Pyre Valor had been thrown into the dungeons to await punishment. There was no doubting the sort of penalty she was going to get. Indeed, the only reason why she was still alive was because she was to be executed before the prince.

"Come to gloat?" Pyre Valor asked in a weak and ragged voice. It was difficult to make her out in the flickering light, but Vanguard saw the heavy shackles that bound her front and rear legs. She dragged herself closer to the cell's door, letting him get a better view of her. Her left eye had swollen shut while her right was only a little better. She was bleeding from her nose, from a split lower lip and from a long gash across her forehead. A steel band, a horn-lock, had been wrapped around her horn. Embedded into the metal was a small, glowing stone of pink.

Though it hardly mattered, Vanguard felt a little glad that they had a horn-lock in supply. Disruptor crystals, even ones so small, were rare. The crystal canceled out magic that came within a few inches of it, making it invaluable for keeping unicorns from using their spells. Without it, the Legion would have been forced to saw Pyre Valor's horn off. "Why should I gloat?" he asked. "You got everything you wanted, Pyre. The barrier is down and the chosen are being drafted. Oh, and hundreds of ponies are dead. Just as you planned. I'm surprised you're not dancing in your cell."

Pyre dragged herself to her hooves and walked closer. "Those deaths were a necessary sacrifice, Vanguard," she replied. "I didn't want them and I certainly didn't plan them."

"But they're there aren't they?" Vanguard snapped. He removed his champron and moved closer until his head was touching the bars of the cell. "What do you do with that fact now that your 'cause' is over?"

"I'm going to die, Vanguard!" Pyre Valor snarled as she pressed her face against the bars. It was as close as she could get to bring her head against his. "I'm going to hang in front of the Legion and die! What else do you want from me?"

"How about regret? Or fear? Anything besides your high and mighty, inconsolable, self-righteous anger!"

The two of them fell silent and stared at each other. With their faces so close together, Vanguard did not doubt that Pyre could see the burn that marred one side of his face. Some fur was beginning to grow on the spot again, but the area was still discolored. In return, Vanguard could pick out each bruise on Pyre's face. He could smell blood whenever she exhaled.

A minute passed and it was Pyre who finally broke the silence. "I don't feel any regret over turning FangBreaker over to the wolven," she said resolutely. "Maybe responsibility, but not regret. I'd do it all over again if I have to."

"Then you're already dead, Pyre," Vanguard growled. "Your execution's just a formality. Your cause killed and ate you long before the guards dragged you into this cell." He was about to turn away, but the sudden softening in Pyre's gaze held him fast. She raised a hoof to touch his face and he let her.

"That's almost true," Pyre said softly, "but, I do regret something." She ran her hoof across Vanguard's burn. "I should have never struck you, Vanguard. I'm sorry."

Vanguard closed his eyes. For a moment, he was a colt again, sitting in an alley and tending to his bruises while the local gang of bullies dragged themselves out of sight. There was Pyre Valor right in front of him, grinning ear to ear and pressing a damp handkerchief to his face. Two against six and they still came out winners. Then, he opened his eyes, and he was a legionnaire once more; standing inside FangBreaker's dungeons and talking to a condemned criminal. It was just the two of them here and they had both come out losers. He held Pyre's hoof briefly and then set it aside. "The burn will heal, Pyre. Soon, I'll look in a mirror and find it gone, but you'll still be dead."

Pyre smiled wryly, stepped away from the bars and lay on the floor. "True," she said. "But, you'll have others with you by then, Vanguard. You already do now, right?"

There wasn't anything else to say. Vanguard watched Pyre Valor settle down for a moment longer and then turned around. 'Goodbye, Pyre," he said softly as he began to walk way.

"Goodbye, Vanguard," was the faint reply.

Vanguard opened the door that led out of that wing of the dungeon. As the two guards walked in, he grabbed the both of them by their chest plates. "If I see any new injuries on her by morning, I will murder the both of you in your sleep," he growled. "You won't be the first ones." He shoved them aside and left the dungeon. The dark, dreary atmosphere was starting to bear heavily down on him. He needed something to stave off the awful mood. He had considered going over to visit Blademane, but he changed his mind. The stallion had nothing to say to him and, truth be told, he had nothing to say to that stallion either.

It was still dark when Vanguard made it to the courtyard. Before he had done so, he had made a quick stop to his old quarters and removed his barding. It had been only a couple of hours since the scouts found Twilight and Pyre and brought them back to the fortress, making it close to midnight. Rather than sleep, the forces that reclaimed FangBreaker were still out celebrating. Several bonfires burned brightly while groups of ponies danced away around them. Vanguard scanned the crowd and quickly found Scarlet Rabbit, who was shouting over the crowd and waving a bottle in one hoof. The red pegasus noticed him as well and flew over.

"Hey, Captain, ready to join the party now?" Scarlet asked. "They found a bunch of barrels of booze that the wolven hadn't touched! Can you believe it?" He guzzled the bottle he was holding and let out and excited yell towards the celebrations.

* * *

><p>From her corner of the courtyard, Applejack heard Scarlet's yell and glanced towards his direction. To her delight, she also spotted Vanguard and walked over to talk to him. Surprisingly enough, her captain was out of his barding. He left Scarlet to fly off and party some more and focused his attention on her. "Still up, Applejack?" he asked.<p>

"I didn't want to be a party-pooper and go off to sleep while everypony's so happy," Applejack replied. She looked over to the celebrating crowd. "I mean really happy. A lot of ponies were crying and everything when we started to occupy this place."

"Not surprising," Vanguard said. "This fortress means a lot to the ponies who defend it and not just because of strategic value. How are Twilight and the others?"

"Twilight's gone to sleep in our new quarters. Poor filly looked exhausted when the guards brought her back." Applejack glanced at the party behind her. She didn't mention to Vanguard that all of them were still weighed down by the Elements of Harmony shattering. It was a bleak several hours for them when Twilight was gone and, when she came back it became an unspoken agreement among them to set aside the loss. For now, they should celebrate with the Legion for having defeated Nightmare Moon again and seeing that Twilight was safe. "Rainbow's having fun with her flight, Pinkie's helping out with the food, Fluttershy's asleep in the medical ward and Rarity let Scarlet convince her to try out some of that stuff he's guzzling. She's passed out over there." She pointed towards a quiet section of the courtyard were several legionnaires were sleeping off a combination of exertion, elation and too many drinks.

Vanguard let himself smile a little. "You really did keep tabs on all of them, didn't you?" he asked.

"I figured you'd want to know," Applejack replied with a grin. "We're all fine, Vanguard. You should go and have some fun too." A look of concern dampened her cheery mood. "You're looking under the weather."

Vanguard's fell silent and his expression darkened. He seemed to notice this, however, and forced the smile to stay. Applejack wasn't buying it for a second. "You need to talk about something?" she asked.

Vanguard didn't answer for some time. Eventually, he relented. "Over a drink perhaps," he said.

"Sure! Just not whatever Scarlet's drinking."

The two of them headed over to the stack of barrels that the legionnaires had brought out. One pony was in charge of refilling mugs as they came while a pair was tasked with keeping the more inebriated ponies from making off with entire barrels. "You're in luck," the pony in charge said as he handed both of them a full mug. "This is the last of the 'Good Stuff'. The next pony gets a mug of 'Stormbrew's Passable If You're Wasted Enough Swill'."

With their drinks in hoof, Vanguard and Applejack settled down by one side of the courtyard. "So what's bothering you, Vanguard?" Applejack asked.

Vanguard took a sip from his mug. "I just came from visiting Pyre Valor," he said.

Applejack recognized the name. That was mostly because Twilight had mentioned it several times. All she really knew about Pyre Valor was that she was the pony that Nightmare Moon had possessed, she was once a member of Vanguard's squad and that Twilight really, really didn't like her. As a good friend, Applejack was inclined to share in Twilight's animosity towards the other unicorn. If that wasn't enough of a reason to dislike Pyre Valor, there was also her betrayal of the Legion, beating up Twilight and burning Vanguard's face. Ever since Zecora, Applejack had never disliked a pony before meeting them, but this Pyre Valor was proving more and more to be the exemption. The lack of any anger or hate in Vanguard's tone when referring to the unicorn was a little disconcerting. "So what happened?" she asked.

"Nothing," Vanguard replied. "I don't know what I was even expecting. She wasn't the least bit remorseful for what she had done to the Legion and, even if she was, I wouldn't have been able to forgive her anyway."

"Sounds like the two of you were friends," Applejack remarked. She surprised herself as soon as the words came out and then glanced worriedly at Vanguard. She hoped she hadn't offended him.

"We were. I think we still are and I don't know if that's good or bad." Vanguard took another sip from his drink. "As ridiculous as it seems, she now has me considering things I shouldn't be."

"Ain't a crime to be just thinking of things," Applejack said reassuringly. "What were you thinking about?"

"Before you all came here, Pyre asked me to help her with her plans against the Legion. I refused and she burned me. Now, I can't help but think that I failed her as a friend by not supporting her even if I knew she was wrong."

"If you went and helped her…" Applejack's voice trailed off and she felt her throat go dry. Flustered, she took a large gulp from her mug and winced at the electric shock. She tried to think of what exactly would have happened to her and her friends if Vanguard hadn't been there to meet them during their fateful first night in FangBreaker Fortress. "If you'd done that then I'd be dead. We'd all be dead."

Vanguard lowered his mug and looked at Applejack. "Would things really be that dire?"

"Ya darn tootin' they'd be! That wolven would have torn Twilight's face off and we'd all have followed! None of us would have made it far out here without your help."

"Except that none of you would even be here if it wasn't for me."

Applejack softened her tone as she went on. "I'm no good with these messy friendship troubles. I don't study it day in and day out like Twilight used to do and I wouldn't know what to do if I had to fight any one of my friends like you did yours. I sure as hay can't tell you if you did right as a friend by not helping your friend. But I…" She hesitated, suddenly afraid that she was sounding pretentious.

There was no backing out for her, however. Vanguard was now looking at her curiously. "You what?" he asked.

"I'm just really happy you didn't. We wouldn't have met you if you did. Meeting you…well…" Applejack's voice shrank until it was barely audible. "...it's almost worth getting banished for…" She felt herself shrink to match the mouse-like squeaking that she had used to say those words. Vanguard looked at her as if he didn't even hear a thing. And why would he? The partying was still pretty loud even if it was beginning to wind down.

"Now the both of us are getting sentimental," Vanguard said with a chuckle. "At this rate, we'll be maudlin once we get to the bottom of these mugs."

Embarrassed and eager to move to a new topic, Applejack readily nodded in agreement. She took another gulp, gritting her teeth and shaking her head at the inevitable shock before setting her mug down on the ground. "We should do something fun!" she said cheerily. "Land's sakes, we're at a party and we're acting like sticks in the mud!"

As if to answer Applejack, several ponies suddenly started playing music. She followed the sound and found a group of legionnaires with flutes and a guitar. Vanguard stood next to her, his own mug also on the ground, and listened. The ponies in the courtyard, those not passed out drunk anyway, laughed and nudged each other and then started forming pairs.

"Is that a dance they're starting?" Applejack asked.

Vanguard bobbed his head slightly at the music. "Yes," he answered. "I know this one: Snakedodge. Looks like somepony has a taste for Southern Barrier Land dancing." He looked at Applejack with a smile. "Come on," he said.

The next thing Applejack knew, Vanguard had already grabbed her by one foreleg and was pulling her towards the gathered ponies. "Hey, wait!" she protested. "I don't know that dance!"

"Do you really think I'm letting you use that excuse now?"

Now among the other legionnaires, Applejack could only bob to the music as the dancing started. "Snakedodge" was a fast paced jig of a dance. Some of the more tipsy dancers only got in a few seconds of dancing before falling over and laughing. Applejack concentrated on following Vanguard's movements. Seeing such quick steps from him was a little surprising as she was used to him being ponderous thanks to his armor.

The music began to speed up just as Applejack was starting to get used to the movements. "Snakedodge" suddenly seemed appropriate. The music did have a lively, frantic feel to it. So frantic that she suddenly tripped over her own foreleg, causing her to stumble forward.

"Steady there," Vanguard said as he caught her before she could fall face first to the ground. The music began to wind down afterwards, allowing the ponies still dancing to catch their breath.

"Sorry," Applejack mumbled, suddenly glad that the early morning darkness made it difficult to see her face. Vanguard didn't seem to hear her, however. He stood still and was looking at somepony. Applejack turned around to see what had caught his attention and then quickly noticed a familiar white unicorn with a bedraggled purple mane. She had to stifle a laugh at the sight. "Rarity!" she said with smile. "You up already?"

Rarity answered with a bleary squint from her bloodshot eyes. She stumbled forward, forcing Applejack to step in and hold her steady. "Steady now, partner," Applejack said.

Rarity didn't say a word in response. Instead, she leaned against Applejack with her head low and then vomited.

"Oh for-! Gross! You got it all over my hooves! That's it, no more boozing for you, ever!"

Chuckling, Vanguard stepped aside and let the two of them walked to the sides of the courtyard. "You better take her to your shared quarters, Applejack. In fact, I think it's time we all turned in."

"Sure," Applejack replied. "Goodnight, Vanguard."

"Goodnight."

As Applejack walked away, she noticed Flight Captain Tailwind walk past her and towards Vanguard. "You watch yourself, Captain Vanguard Clash," she heard the pegasus say over all the partying. "There are some nasty situations even my flight can't provide extraction from."

* * *

><p>The halls of FangBreaker were eerily quiet compared to the celebrations going on out in the courtyard. Applejack half-dragged and half-carried Rarity through one stone hall after another, looking around to make sure that she hadn't gotten herself lost.<p>

"I saw that," Rarity muttered.

"Saw what?"

"You foaling around with Vanguard Clash."

"We were just dancing, nothing foalish about that."

Rarity planted her hooves on the ground, forcing Applejack to stop. "You know that Twilight likes him, don't you?" she asked seriously. Though she still slurred, her tone brooked no nonsense.

"Of course she does. He's a likeable pony. You like him too don't you? I'm sure, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy-"

"Oh my stars, how dense can you be? You know what I mean!" Rarity interrupted irritably. "You have a crush on him! You're in love with him! You want to push him to the ground and give him a kiss! And so does she!"

"What? No I don't! And Twilight-!"

"For the Element of Honesty, you have a remarkable talent for deluding yourself, Miss I-can-do-all-the-farmwork-by-myself!"

"Are you picking a fight or something? I'm letting this slide 'cause you're drunk and all but…"

"Oh you don't have to worry about me picking a fight. If there's a brewing fight here, it's between you and Twilight. I'm here trying to nip it in the bud while you pretend that nothing's wrong."

Applejack couldn't respond beyond a confused look. Rarity stepped away from her and gave her a good hard stare. "I'm prying," she said. "I know. I'm sorry. This shouldn't be any of my business but you're making me worry, dear. We're supposed to be in harmony and it will be simply dreadful if Equestria's fate is lost because of a botched love triangle formed by our captain and two of the densest ponies I know."

"That ain't gonna happen!"

"I hope so. You're both my friends, Applejack. Far be it from me to decide who makes a better match for Vanguard, but you should know that it's impossible for this to have any pleasant end. As soon as you stop deluding yourself, you have to realize that one of you has to give way."

"So why are you only telling me? Have you told Twilight?"

"I would. Except that…well…"

"Well what?"

"She's been quite scary lately," Rarity said sheepishly. "Now she has to deal with her teacher losing power, Spike going away, whatever happened to her this afternoon…making her deal with this might cause something bad. I know this is unfair, but you're the more sensible between the two of you, Applejack. You have to step aside while this is still nothing but a passing crush."

Applejack's face hardened. "Unfair is right," she said angrily. "I'm not even sure if what you're saying is true. What do you want me to do, start giving Vanguard the cold shoulder?"

"Just put some distance between the two of you. No more dancing in the moonlight for starters."

"I can't."

Rarity's expression hardened as well. "You mean you won't," she said flatly. "This is only going to get much worse, Applejack. Now, while it's not yet too late-!"

Applejack turned around angrily. Her expression softened as she placed a hoof over her chest. "Besides," she mumbled, "it probably is already." Flustered and more than a little angry, she walked ahead and left Rarity behind. "Since you can walk on your own now, I'll see you in our quarters," she called out. "Get some sleep, Rarity."

"Sleep?" Applejack heard Rarity mutter. "Between the two of you, I think I need another drink."


	8. Truths and Lies

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 8: Truths and Lies**

The day after FangBreaker's reclamation started out with a chorus of pained groans from the ponies who had indulged themselves with last night's celebrations. The courtyard was a mess, not just from the remains of the wolven occupants, but also from the leftovers from all the partying. Empty barrels and mugs were scattered everywhere. More than a few ponies were still lying on the ground, feeling the consequences of their excess.

Work still had to go on despite the mess. Restorations were already being done as laborers assembled scaffolding while waiting for the construction materials to be moved into the fort. Commander Dreadstep wanted FangBreaker Fortress not just operational, but completely repaired before the spring offensive. Working through the winter was a tall order, but a lot of the ponies stationed at FangBreaker found themselves enthused. The harsh conditions will serve as an additional penance for even allowing the fort to reach such a state of disrepair.

Though she had stayed up past midnight, Applejack was up with the dawn. It wasn't because she was needed for pressing matters though. Until she received some kind of order from Vanguard or his higher-ups, she had to stay in this newly formed squad with her friends instead of going to Infantry. For now, this squad didn't seem to have any other duties other than dealing with Nightmare Moon, leaving her with free time that she had to fill up somehow.

The rest of her friends were already preoccupied. Twilight had volunteered to sort out what was left of the fort's library and re-shelf the books that the Legion had saved during its retreat. After Rarity's talk last night, Applejack felt that maybe she should talk to Twilight. However, when she tried to approach the purple unicorn, something inside her shrank back. The information was…too fresh. She was still so unsure about how much of Rarity's words were true. She needed some time to figure this out.

_"You have a crush on him! You're in love with him! You want to push him to the ground and give him a kiss!"_

Applejack shook her head indignantly. 'Rarity's overreacting like she always does,' she told herself. 'She's fussing over tiny details and making them out be more serious than they really are. So what if I like being around Vanguard? Nothing wrong with enjoying a friend's company! And what's not to enjoy? He's brave, reliable, honest…kinda good looking…' She shook her head again. 'Darn that Rarity! Now, I'm starting to doubt myself!' She looked around to see if she could find any recognizable faces. Fluttershy had slept in the medical ward last night and got right back to work in the morning. There were plenty of injured ponies to keep her and the rest of Medical busy. Both Rarity and Rainbow Dash were sleeping off headaches although Rainbow was already recovering when Applejack left their quarters and had mentioned getting some target practice once she could aim straight.

With nothing else to do, Applejack had gone over to the training grounds for earth ponies. The place was still a mess with the walls and floor covered in wolven graffiti. Most of the debris had been cleared, however, and somepony had been considerate enough to set up a few target dummies. She looked down her chest, painfully remembering that the Element of Honesty had shattered just like the rest of the Elements of Harmony. She didn't know what caused the necklace to shatter, but she instinctively assumed that it was her fault. With the elation of reclaiming FangBreaker and the celebrations now behind her, all the foreboding feelings began to crash down. Nightmare Moon was just one problem and she wasn't even sure if they had dealt with her completely. More problems loomed ahead. She felt restless just sitting around waiting for somepony to tell her what to do.

That was why she had come to the training grounds. She had brought the length of chain she had received from Crow Quill, the supposed chain of Apple Slice, on a whim. She had no idea what to do with the thing, but she figured that something that was passed along generations of ponies just to be given to her had to be useful. Despite being metal, the chain was as light as rope and its length made it easy to carry. However, its shortness also made it useless for anything but tying up something small.

"Hey there!"

Applejack didn't quite recognize the cheery greeting that came from behind her. She had heard the soft-speaking tone somewhere before, but she couldn't place it. She turned around and saw a dark blue unicorn whose purple mane came down in elaborate ringlets. A few more seconds passed before she found the name that went with this pony's features. "Captain Nightcanter," she said with a salute.

"So formal!" Nightcanter remarked, her crooked smile widening slightly. "No need to stand on ceremony there, legionnaire. By the way, you're that mare that Vanguard was dancing with last night, aren't you? He mentioned your name before. What was it? Applejack?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I've never seen Vanguard dance before and I've done my share of trying to get him to." Nightcanter leaned forward and nudged Applejack slyly. "So what happened after that? Did you start rolling your oats once you got somewhere private?"

"Rolling my oats?" Applejack asked in confusion. "No, ma'am. I'm more of an apple farmer. Don't know much about working with oats. I do have an uncle who tried his hoof in the oat business once." Her tone grew grim for a moment. "The Oat Family didn't take too kindly to that."

The smile on Nightcanter's face lessened slightly. "I meant did you do some horizontal dancing?"

"Uh…no, we just stuck to 'Snakedodge'. That was pretty hard too. Not as hard as 'Horizontal Dancing' I reckon. How do you even do that?"

Nightcanter stared at Applejack incredulously and then shook her head. "Nevermind," she muttered. "I'll just assume you didn't do what I thought you might have done." More ponies began to enter the training grounds. Some of them worked on cleaning up the place while the others started exercising to get rid of the lethargy brought about by last night's partying. Nightcanter focused on something else, her eyes landing on the chain that was currently coiled around Applejack's neck. "So what do you have there?" she asked. "Not planning to strangle ourselves, are we?"

"No," Applejack replied. "This here chain's supposed to have belonged to Apple Slice, but I don't know what to do with it."

Nightcanter's eyes widened. "Apple Slice?" she asked incredulously. "As in 'The Last Great Apple' Apple Slice?"

"There's that title again! There are a lot of great Apples out there. Not just whoever this pony is! Why there's-"

Nightcanter put a hoof up. "You can list off a hundred of your chosen Apples, Applejack. They might be great, but not in the same way Apple Slice was. May I have a look at that chain?"

Reluctantly, Applejack handed the length of chain to Nightcanter. The dark blue unicorn inspected it with her horn glowing. "Obviously magical," she said. "How'd you get this?"

Applejack narrated her encounter with Crow Quill back in Bastion City while Nightcanter listened intently. She felt a little embarrassed having somepony focus on her so much as if she was something special. "You should be honored," Nightcanter said. An enchanted weapon requires powerful magic."

"Magic huh?" Applejack remarked. " Twilight mentioned that. I'm sure the unicorns here have a lot of those stashed away."

"Not really. We can create temporary ones with some effort, but an enchantment to last through centuries…a unicorn died to make this, Applejack. Probably several." A grim look flashed on Nightcanter's face but she quickly replaced it with an enthusiastic smile. "Anyway, there are a lot of stories about Apple Slice bringing down ursans by lassoing them," she suggested. "Have you given that a try?"

"Lassoing?" Applejack asked skeptically. "Just look at how short it is! Sure, I could lasso things with it. If those things were a spitting distance away."

"That's your earth pony-ness talking."

"My what?"

"Your earth pony-ness: that stubborn, no-nonsense tendency of yours not to trust anything that you can't get a feel of with your senses. This is a magical object, an artifact even. You have to trust in its magic, not in what it looks or feels like."

"I've never used magic before," Applejack said. "I'm no unicorn. Guess I'm better off giving this to Twilight or Rarity."

Nightcanter's horn was still glowing as she stretched out the chain. "Then you'd be handing them junk," she said. "The enchantments here are pretty specific. Think about it. There aren't any stories about any pony in the Barrier Lands wielding a magic chain after Apple Slice. You'd think somepony would have taken up some magical equipment, but no. One explanation I'd consider is that it doesn't work for just anypony. If you really are related to him in some way, you're the best candidate."

Applejack now looked at the chain with even more distrust. For a moment, she didn't want to have anything to do with the chain now that she knew that some unicorns died to make it. She thought about it for a moment and then decided that it would do those unicorns a disservice. After all, they had sacrificed a lot to create this thing and made sure that only her family could use it.

"Just give it a try," Nightcanter insisted.

"Alright." Applejack tied the chain into a lasso and then gave it a whirl. Nightcanter pointed her to a distant, unoccupied practice dummy. With a shrug, Applejack tossed the lasso, expecting the chain to jerk once it reached its very short maximum distance.

The links stretched out…and then kept flying. Applejack nearly dropped the chain as she watched the looped end reach the target and land on point. Reflexively, she gave the chain a tug once it landed to tighten the loop. The target dummy snapped near its base and then clattered on the ground.

Nightcanter walked forward and examined the extended chain. "Force," she said with awe. The other ponies had noticed now and were moving in to see the strange weapon.

Applejack chuckled nervously at the increasing attention. "Sorry about the target," she said. "I didn't mean to. I swear I just gave it a good tug."

"Did you really?" Nightcanter asked. "It boosts its wielder's strength too. Probably important seeing as trying to lasso say, a rampaging ursan, would be impossible without such an enchantment."

The murmurs among the crowd flustered Applejack further. She pulled back the chain and wanted to put it away when links suddenly clicked together, even going so far as undoing the loop. In an instant, she was holding a simple, short length of chain again.

"You lucky pony," Nightcanter said. "To wield the weapon of the legendary Apple Slice…I'd cut off a leg for that honor."

A loud, mocking snort came from the gathered ponies around them. Nightcanter frowned and then looked over to them. "Who did that?" she asked the crowd angrily.

"I did!"

An orange pegasus stallion with a cropped, bright green mane stepped forward. Applejack noticed his barding, which was similar to the one Flight Captain Tailwind wore, including the special, stylized wing. "I heard what you were gushing about. 'Legendary' Apple Slice my flank! The stallion is a glorified murderer who dragged his ponies with him to a massacre!"

"Hey!" Applejack said indignantly. "Don't you badmouth my family like that!"

"You've only stayed in this place for a short time," the pegasus said offhandedly. "It only makes sense that you have no grasp of our history." He shifted his gaze back to Nightcanter. "I'm surprised that a Special Operations captain is feeding a legionnaire the same sugar-coated tripe that they tell earth pony foals before bedtime."

"And I'm surprised that a flight captain thinks I won't strangle him with his own tail just for that snort!" Nightcanter hissed. "You better stay out of dark alleys, Sunray!"

"You should hear the truth if you really are related in some way to Apple Slice," Sunray told Applejack. "The stallion is no hero. During the division process, Princess Celestia chose the Apple Family to settle in the Heartland. That same family cast Apple Slice out because he was a budding violent psychopath. He then worked his way up the Legion's ranks by being a ruthless murderer until he snapped, led his ponies against a horde of ophidites, and got massacred. It was such an embarrassment that the Legion whitewashed the event as a 'heroic last stand'." He looked at the chain with disgust. "I can only imagine how many…creatures he strangled to death with that thing."

"Celestia drill my backside!" Nightcanter scoffed. "You're one of those conspiracy nags! Don't listen to this idiot, Applejack, he's a damn chosen apologist who thinks Apple Slice must be garbage because his high and mighty clan tossed him out!"

The two ponies sized each other up while the crowd continued to watch. Now, most of them were more for seeing what would happen between the two quarreling captains than checking out the mysterious chain.

"That's enough quibbling!" another pony from the crowd said. It was a unicorn stallion this time, a bright blue one with a long, curly white mane. "You're both wrong anyway," he said haughtily. "Apple Slice couldn't have possibly been a hero or a psychopath. He'd have to exist to be either."

Nightcanter rolled her eyes. "Here we go," she said, "another 'earth ponies are useless' lecture from Mage Captain Drizzlecloud!"

"I hate to disappoint you, but Apple Slice is not real," the other unicorn said to Applejack. "He's a myth created by the Legion to inspire earth ponies during that time. Prior to the legend of Apple Slice, earth ponies had no heroes to look up to. Pegasi had Wind Runner and Ash Frost. Unicorns had Afterthought and Moonrage. To keep Infantry recruitment going strong, the Legion invented Apple Slice, the noble farmer turned hero who gallantly refused to join his family in the Heartland to continue protecting Equestria. A few centuries later, when the earth ponies finally had actual heroes, some pegasi started spreading stories about how Apple Slice was actually a monster. Likely because they felt that the earth ponies were getting too proud."

"Of course the unicorns had a clear conscience in the entire affair," Sunray muttered. "They always do in Drizzlecloud's 'historical facts'."

Drizzlecloud turned his nose up. "Don't blame me, blame the truth."

"Hold on for one pony-picking minute here!" Applejack finally interrupted. Despite being faced by captains, she wasn't going to sit there while they threw one story after another about somepony who might be family. "The Queen told me that Apple Slice fell valiantly in battle during his last stand!"

The three stopped and looked at Applejack.

"The Queen?" Drizzlecloud asked. "The Queen as in our prince's mother and one of the Eternal Herd's omnipotent rulers?"

"Yes, that Queen," Applejack said.

"I believe her," Nightcanter added. "I heard it from Vanguard Clash. The Queen spoke to our prince through this one."

"Then I will not doubt that the Queen did speak with you," Drizzlecloud replied. "But, as to what she actually told you…that I can throw some doubt on."

"What do you mean?" Applejack asked angrily.

"Rather convenient to say that the Queen told you that now that Apple Slice's story is the topic of the conversation."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Applejack stepped closer towards Drizzlecloud. "I oughta-"

"You can roast me over a slow fire if you want," Drizzlecloud interrupted. "It doesn't make you more truthful in anypony's eyes. You're better off showing proof."

Applejack fell silent. There was no proof. To be doubted like this was painful, irritating and humiliating to a degree. She wanted to lash out, but Drizzlecloud was right, hurting anypony would prove nothing.

"And I suppose you have proof, Drizzlecloud?" Nightcanter asked.

"I can show you documents if you want," the other unicorn replied. "I happen to have done some research into this personally."

"And I've got a few books about the subject back in Bastion City," Sunray said.

"No doubt written by pegasi," Drizzlecloud retorted.

Before anypony else could say something a sudden blast from a horn sent everypony scrambling. The training grounds cleared in less than a minute.

"What's going on?" Applejack asked. "What was that horn blowing for?"

"The prince is arriving," Nightcanter said. She didn't panic like the others, but she did show some surprise. "It's to be expected though. Don't know why everypony's in a panic."

"Uh…Captain Nightcanter?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you kindly for helping me out with this thing."

Nightcanter smiled in return. "No problem, Applejack. If you and Vanguard do start doing it and need some company, give me an invite. I really want to see him cut loose." Her smile widened playfully. "You don't look so bad yourself."

Applejack didn't know if she should smile back or be afraid.

"You better get back with your squad. I'm willing to bet that our prince is going to want to see all of you!" With that, Nightcanter walked off. Applejack coiled the chain around her neck and made her way back to the shared quarters.

* * *

><p>Despite the initial scramble, FangBreaker's occupants were quick to provide Prince Terrato the best welcome they could manage. The audience hall had been cleared of debris and cleaned up enough to be presentable. Most of the fortress wasn't too worried after the surprise. Their prince didn't care much for pomp anyway.<p>

Terrato had arrived by teleportation, appearing within the audience hall to the shock of the workers still there. He had not come alone either. With him were Commander Dreadstep and Celestia. Whispers quickly went rampant throughout the fortress, especially when the sun symbol on his sister's flank was noticed. The word was out, Celestia was in FangBreaker Fortress. Rumors were already abounding in Bastion City, and they only grew in number now.

Most of the morning was spent on inspection. Terrato surveyed his newly-reacquired fortress with a sense of pride for his legionnaires and grim speculation. If he was going to use this place as a launching point for his invasion, expansions will probably have to take place. By noon time, he was sitting by the audience hall, receiving reports with Dreadstep and Celestia. His eldest sister had fallen silent ever since she spent a day in Bastion City as an earth pony. The glumness on her face made his heart ache but, when he tried to ask her about what happened, she had not answered with anything. He had called for the Elements of Harmony. Perhaps the sight of her beloved student would put some cheer in his sister. Then, he had an execution to attend. He thought it best to do that without her at his side.

When the Elements of Harmony did walk in, however, he realized that they might end up doing the opposite of what he wanted of them. It didn't take long for Celestia to notice as well. Her eyes widened with concern and she leaned forward. Before she could say anything, Terrato spoke first. "You're looking significantly less gaudy than when we last had a meeting," he told them. "Are my aesthetics starting to rub off on you or is there something you'd like to tell me?"

It was Twilight Sparkle who stepped forward. She kept her head low while she spoke. "Your highness, the Elements of Harmony….well…they shattered."

"Twilight…" Celestia stepped forward and then went to her student's group. All of them gathered around her seeking some comfort. Terrato let them stay that way for some time while Dreadstep looked to him nervously. The old stallion knew the signs of his prince's growing impatience.

"That's enough feeling sorry for yourselves," Terrato finally said. He turned towards Celestia in exasperation. "Stop coddling them, Celestia! Harmonia Intus!"

Applejack's eyes widened. "Hey, I recognize that! The Queen said it to me before."

Celestia shot a disapproving look at Terrato before addressing Applejack. "Harmony comes from within," she said. "Don't be so sad, girls. It's true that the loss of the physical elements is a terrible thing, but all is not lost."

"What do you mean, your highness?" Twilight asked.

"True Harmony does not rely on metal and stone," Celestia said with a reassuring smile. "The jewelry you held served as focuses to channel the power of harmony. Without them, it will be difficult to call forth the power of the Elements, but not impossible."

Twilight Sparkle's face brightened a bit. "How do we do that, your highness?" she asked.

"Tell me first as to how they came to shatter," Celestia replied.

Twilight narrated their last encounter with Nightmare Moon. Her friends added their experience after she had disappeared. Celestia fell silent when Twilight mentioned the voices she heard when she was transported into the middle of nowhere. Terrato also fell into a frowning contemplation.

"From what you've told me, I can only guess that you and your friends were not in harmony when you tried to use the elements," Celestia finally said. "The devices sensed your great need and activated anyway, but the strain of doing so was too much."

"So we broke the elements…" Twilight said glumly.

"No, Twilight, you broke the devices," Celestia said firmly. "Whatever has come between you and your friends must be dealt with, and then…" She hesitated briefly before going on. "It is difficult to explain. You must simply remember that Harmony has personal as well as social aspects. You must grow in both."

"We will, princess," Twilight said with determination. She looked to her friends who nodded in return. Terrato noticed that both Rarity and Applejack were doing so with less enthusiasm.

"I have full faith in you, Twilight. One more thing." Celestia leaned forward to whisper to her student. Curious, Terrato listened in anyway. "Later, I would like to talk to you about this Pyre Valor."

Twilight nodded with less enthusiasm and Celestia walked back to her place next to her brother. "Good that you have that settled," he said. "With Nightmare Moon gone, there won't be much of a need for you to remain a squad. I want you to return to your previous positions and concentrate on your training."

"Terrato, perhaps you should let them see their families first," Celestia suggested. "They were forced to leave their homes so abruptly."

Terrato paused to consider the option and then returned his gaze to Twilight and the others. "Would you like that?" he asked them. "Would you like to see your families?"

"That would be lovely!" Rarity said. The others nodded in agreement.

"Go then. I'll give you a couple of weeks. While you're there, I want you to help facilitate the drafts. Having fellow chosen tell them the importance of what needs to be done should move your neighbors along. You are dismissed."

Twilight bowed along with her friends and then left the audience hall. Once they were gone, Celestia turned towards Terrato. "Lunalux Umbra and Solis Coruscaria," she said. She spoke quietly, just out of Dreadsteps hearing. "The handmaidens of Oceanus. Is he on the verge of returning?"

"He's one rebellion short," Terrato replied. "I had thought that all the betrayers had fallen into dormancy. I don't know how those two stayed up, but we'll deal with them when the time comes. Hopefully, with you back in full power."

A knock on the doors of the audience hall drew both alicorns' attention. The guards opened them and a legionnaire and entered and bowed low before them. "Your highness, we have a pony here who teleported into the fortress asking for an audience with you."

"You sound pretty urgent, legionnaire," Terrato said. "Something else I should know?"

"Yes, your highness. He said that his name was Blue Moon, leader of The Thorns, and that it was imperative that he see you at once."

Terrato's frown deepened at the mention of the name. "Bring him in," he said.

"Terrato, who is this pony?" Celestia asked.

"Blue Moon is Black Rose's younger brother," Terrato said. "The Thorns served as her special tasks group. They should also be dead, but the fact that they aren't shouldn't come as a surprise when dealing with her."

Terrato felt his sister tense. Black Rose: the pony who had brazenly stolen her power during that fateful day. It had been some time since he last heard of the newly formed alicorn. He looked towards the doors and watched as a unicorn stallion, flanked by a pair of guards, walked through them. Blue Moon was so slender and delicately featured that it was easy to mistake him for a mare. He had a flowing, silvery blue mane and his coat was a very pale blue. He wore an elaborate soft-clothed coat, partly armored around the neck and shoulders with gracefully curving plates of metal. On his collar was the emblem of a black, five-petaled rose with six thorns protruding symmetrically around it.

"Blue Moon," Terrato said. "Your sister has been quite a headache lately." He unleashed his magic as he spoke, looking to break down any magical defenses around Blue Moon before trapping the stallion in a cage of diamond. To his surprise, he found none. He delayed the caging spell for now. "I assume the rest of The Thorns are up and about as well?" he asked.

Blue Moon knelt with his head held low. "Lion Court, Longstride and Sablesteel have all been given their assignments, your highness," he replied. "Rhapsody failed to revive, but Black Rose still has Warsinger and only needs somepony skilled enough to play it. Frenzy Heart also failed to revive and will have to be replaced completely."

"That's…unusually informative," Terrato said. "What are you up to, Blue Moon?"

"Your highness, I am here to warn you of my sister's plans."


	9. Teachers and Students

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 9: Teachers and Students**

_"Is there something wrong, little brother? I gave you an assignment like the others, but you haven't moved."_

_Blue Moon stood at perfect attention while his older sister reclined on a sofa. He was still getting used to her new appearance since the last time he met her, which was hundreds of years ago. Though still slender and delicate in appearance, Black Rose had more than doubled in size and that growth was accompanied by an awe-inspiring aura of power that she seemed to unconsciously exude. Even staring at her directly gave him a mild trembling. Whenever she stretched out her black-feathered wings, the fire light in her new hideout caused them to cast a truly ominous shadow. Nevertheless, she spoke to him with the same fondness that she did back when he was a colt desperately trying to follow in her footsteps. He also didn't miss the ruthlessness beneath her tone. For his entire life, he had never seen his sister angry or upset, but he had seen her mercilessly bring about the deaths of hundreds of enemies. "With your permission, I would like to understand something first," he replied._

_"Of course, what would you like to know?"_

_"Celestia's barrier is down and Equestria is on the path of reunification. The wolven have fled and there doesn't seem to be any imminent threats from Ursinium and Ophidus. You've accomplished everything you set out to do."_

_"How kind of you to say so." Black Rose smiled and dipped her head slightly as if Blue Moon had just complimented her mane. "However, I have not accomplished everything. Indeed, I've only won minor victories so far."_

_"Do you really need Princess Celestia's power for your remaining goals?"_

_"I didn't take her power as a requirement for my other goals, little brother. I did so because she was miserable underneath the weight of her responsibility. Celestia lacks the proper disposition necessary to rule over Equestria and it will cause nothing but misery to continue to expect so much from her. My ascendance is not a matter of ambition, but simple logistics; assigning the best mare for the job."_

_"And I believe in your assessment. It's just that I would be more at peace if the methods you used were more indicative of your goal of helping Equestria, Commander."_

_"Come now, Blue Moon. Didn't I tell you that you may call me 'big sister' when we're alone?"_

_Blue Moon didn't respond to that. A look of disappointment crossed his sister's face. "I frighten you as well, do I?" she asked. "Would it put you more at ease if I told you of what I planned to do next?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Then listen closely…"_

With the memory of his last meeting with his sister replaying in his mind, Blue Moon stepped forward and knelt before Prince Terrato. He had felt the alicorn's magic come upon him the moment he entered the audience chamber. It was only when the prince relented by not slaying him with hostile magic did he relax a little. His lack of defenses had paid off and he could, at least, say what he had come to say without being smashed into a bloodstain.

"Before I even bother listening to what you have to say about your sister's plan, you'd better explain yourself," Terrato said. "As silly as it may sound, I'm not going to just believe that the leader of Black Rose's special tasks group and her younger brother just decided to betray her on a whim."

"It was Black Rose who betrayed me, your highness!" Blue Moon said with a measure of indignation. "I supported her because I believed she had the good of Equestria as her goal." He shifted his gaze to Celestia as he continued. "I believed that the barrier was wrong and that Equestria needed to be reunited. I even agreed with her plan to take away Princess Celestia's power to bring about those changes. However, I cannot support her now that I've found out what she's planning."

"And what exactly is she planning?" Terrato asked.

Blue Moon paused slightly before answering. He had spent so long serving his sister and convincing himself that he was independent of her, but it was only now that he was finally going to be able to separate the two. "Your highness, Black Rose plans to utilize the Blasphemous Rift."

The only outward sign of whatever Terrato felt towards the news was a darkening of his expression. Next to the prince, Celestia clenched her jaw tightly. Blue Moon guessed that it was all she could do not to start trembling in both shock and anger.

"How does she plan on getting in there?" Terrato asked. "Not even Celestia's full power can open the seals placed on the Blasphemous Rift."

"She devised a method after going through the library of Lexarius. As to what it is, I cannot say." Blue Moon looked aside briefly. "She would not trust even her highest officers with that."

It was Terrato's turn to fall silent for a while. When he finally decided to speak, his voice betrayed nothing of the tension around him. "Dreadstep, have Blue Moon horn-locked and imprisoned," he told the fort's commander. "I want him heavily guarded by your strongest unicorn magi at all times."

"At once, your highness," Dreadstep replied. The old stallion didn't even have a questioning look in his face despite all the information he had just heard.

Terrato turned towards Blue Moon. "I'm sure that won't be a problem for you now. I need to verify your information and keep you available."

Blue Moon kept his head bowed. "I fully expected this, your highness," he said.

* * *

><p>The mortals left the audience chamber along with the guards, leaving Terrato alone with his sister. For some time, they didn't even so much as look at one another. The information was still sinking in; the audacity, the ambition and the sheer magnitude of what Black Rose was planning…even for immortal alicorns it was just too much to take in at once.<p>

"Your student has gone too far, Terrato," Celestia finally said.

"I had her at pitting us against each other and stealing your power," Terrato replied.

"Even we don't know what exactly Oceanus left in the Blasphemous Rift before the Eternal Herd sealed it. She is basing her plans on a dangerous unknown!"

"We know that Oceanus severely harmed father with it," Terrato said darkly. "Now, we know that even taking your power is just one more step for her. Black Rose will not stop short of ruling over the Eternal Herd itself even if it means she has to usurp Oceanus's most monstrous achievements, keep him in the background and bring about the ninth rebellion by herself."

"You sound a little proud," Celestia said with a tinge of worry.

"Maybe," Terrato replied without meeting his sister's gaze. "I used to praise her for her grand planning and her occasional bold gambles. She's come a long way from clearing out ursan outposts." He shook his head and focused. "Regardless, now that we may have a lead, this will change things. I'm going to have to move more of the Legion to the Heartland so we can monitor the entrance to the Blasphemous Rift."

Terrato could tell that the first part of the plan didn't sit in well with Celestia. She had likely hoped that he would keep the presence of his legionnaires in the Heartland to a minimum at least for the first few years.

And then there was the Blasphemous Rift. Including the rift where Oceanus first fell in the Heartland's creation was an unfortunate but necessary evil. It lay almost at the very center of Equestria, a dark, gigantic crevice that harbored the lingering traces of the most evil creature in existence. It was also within the rift that the first mortal ponies came forth. When Lexarius had first arrived in this world, he and several of the highest ranked stewards in the Eternal Herd were tasked with obliterating any traces of Oceanus and his followers. The group had succeeded in almost every area except for the rift. There was something within the darkest bowels of that place, something that Oceanus left behind when he and his followers desperately dragged themselves into hiding. Not even the combined efforts of the strongest stewards in the Eternal Herd could so much as move the thing. With the King and Queen unable to enter this world without annihilating half of it, the stewards channeled as much of their rulers' divine power as possible and sealed the thing away. Lexarius then altered the very landscape of the place to hide it from prying eyes.

He looked to his sister. When Celestia took over where the insane Lexarius had failed, she placed her own safeguards over the Blasphemous Rift, hiding even the structures that Lexarius built around it away from her little ponies. The Heartland had no need of any reminder of a conflict none of them should be involved in. Let Oceanus be hidden away until the time of his final defeat arrives.

There was still one more puzzle to Black Rose's plan. How was she going to get inside the rift? His former student was a cunning, manipulative mare now with the power of an alicorn princess, but the seals that barred her way represented the authority of the Eternal Herd itself. "Celestia," he said.

It took a few seconds more before Celestia realized that her brother was calling her attention. "Yes?" she asked.

"Perhaps it's time to bring the Eternal Herd into this. I can open a gate and-"

"No!" Celestia said vehemently. "If we call for aid and mention the Blasphemous Rift, that zealot, Gravitas, will insist on bringing an army to this world. How much will be destroyed because of his methods? No, I will not call out to the Eternal Herd unless this world is truly on the verge of destruction."

"You've opened a gate before," Terrato insisted.

"And it was a foalish, reckless and paranoid thing to do, even if I only called out a small number of enforcers. Gravitas will bring them out by the hundreds without any concern of what they will do to this world or how the other heavenly realms will react."

"I doubt that the King and Queen will not allow their general to act so rashly."

Celestia's brows furrowed. "If I could say without a single doubt that Father and Mother's foremost concern is protecting the ponies that sprang from Oceanus, I would not have insisted on staying after we cast Lexarius into Vestibulum."

Terrato shook his head. "Stubborn…" he muttered. "Fine, we'll do everything we can to make sure that the Eternal Herd isn't involved any further. Moving on, I'm going to the Heartland soon. You should come with me. There's only so much reassurance that Luna can provide in your absence."

Celestia nodded her agreement. "May I ask you something, Terrato?" she asked.

"What is it?"

"You've kept Twilight and her friends together in a group before, why are you separating them now?"

"I don't need them together right now. They'll serve the Legion better in their respective fields instead of hanging out as a group doing nothing."

Celestia frowned at the answer. "The elemental foci shattered clearly due to a lack of harmony on their part," she said. "How can you expect them to mend their bonds if you keep them apart?"

"Because I want them to depend on each other, not be dependent on each other!" Terrato snapped. He let out a sharp exhale before he continued, mindful of who he was talking to. "They've been together for a long time, they even got banished together as I recall. That's all well and good, but I want them to think for themselves this time. They've been through a lot. Now, I want them to think carefully of where they stand now with all the changes in their world. If, as a group, their whole is greater than the sum of their parts then strengthening them individually should produce greater results."

"And what if they drift apart further?"

"They are the Elements of Harmony. I believe in the strength of their bonds. Coddling them will accomplish nothing. Their bonds should be tempered with some isolation and conflict in the same way steel is tempered with fire and hammer blows."

"These are living ponies you are dealing with, Terrato, not lifeless weapons! Their bonds should be nourished and sustained, not strained until they break!"

Terrato matched Celestia's indignant glare with a hardened one of his own. "Those ponies have been under your care for a long time," he said. "The results haven't been good enough against what they've had to face. It's time I took care of things my way."

Celestia reeled when Terrato cast doubt on her methods. Once more, he suddenly realized that he was going too barrier was one thing, but for him to suggest that she had failed in properly guiding the Elements of Harmony…"If they break from your rough treatment, there will be no turning back," she insisted. "Ponies aren't like tools that you can just repair when broken."

"I've ruled over ponies too, Celestia! You've taken a look around and you weren't surrounded by broken tools. You were surrounded by an army that has stood strong throughout the centuries. I believe in my methods."

"The greatest result of your methods knifed me with her magic and-!" Celestia stopped, realizing what her indignation was causing her to do. "Terrato, I'm sorry. I've been with your ponies and they're-"

Terrato put a hoof up to interrupt Celestia. He looked far away and he spoke with a slight tremble in his voice. "My student played you like a fiddle and then took what she wanted from you," he said harshly. "Hers is an intelligence and drive that Twilight Sparkle can only wish she had." He stood from his seat and walked to the doors. Before opening them, he looked back one more time at his sister. "The assignments stay. All six of them signed a contract when they joined up. If they break it by going against my orders, I will smite them where they stand."

The doors slammed behind Terrato as he left.

* * *

><p>"Are you alright, your highness?"<p>

That was the first thing that Twilight said to her mentor the moment the alicorn entered FangBreaker's library.

"I'll be fine, Twilight," Celestia replied. She walked with six armed guards in tow, each one likely hoof-picked by the prince himself. Knowing the princess, she would have preferred a less imposing escort but, knowing the prince, he would have had none of it. When Celestia sat down, the guards positioned themselves at a distance around her. The ponies working in the library gave her and Twilight a wide berth for some privacy.

Twilight took note of the choice of words. Her mentor was not fine now. The princess looked tired and visibly shaken. It wasn't physical exertion that weighed down on her. Twilight could only frown as she suspected its source. For all his talk about his "dearest sister", Prince Terrato showed about as much affection for Princess Celestia as he would an unwanted house guest.

For the rest of the afternoon, Twilight had returned to helping out in the library while preparations were made for their departure. The prospect of returning to the Heartland, to Ponyville and her old home, left her both elated and apprehensive. To see everypony in Ponyville again would be wonderful. She looked forward to talking with her neighbors, seeing all the familiar sights…even the warmth of someplace that wasn't so far to the north would be most welcome. But, there were also the things that she dreaded to see: how everypony would react to the ponies who had been banished and were now returning from a land of war, and seeing the Legion's presence in their old homes. No matter how much she wished it were so, Twilight knew that going back to Ponyville was no return to how things used to be. Soon, she would see how war would affect all of the Heartland. To make matters worse, she and her friends had a hoof in making it happen.

Being surrounded by books, however, helped set Twilight at ease. She was horrified to find out that the wolven had been using the books in this place as bonfire fuel. The ones that had survived proved to be a fascinating source of information about the Barrier Lands. She was particularly interested in a book she had found about Starswirl the Bearded. It was surprising to find that the two realms shared some lore. Learning about the Barrier Lands' account of the great unicorn would be eye-opening.

That would have to be set aside for later, however. Right now, Twilight expected a talk from her mentor that involved a subject she was less enthusiastic about, Pyre Valor. She moved to the princess's side, ready to offer her support as Celestia took a seat by one of the newly set up long tables. With her mentor seated, Twilight took hers as well so they were seated in front of each other.

"Tell me more about this Pyre Valor," Celestia said. "There was something peculiar in your tone when you were talking about her."

"Pyre Valor was the first pony I ran into when I first came here," Twilight began. She wasn't very enthusiastic about the topic, but she wasn't going to disobey the princess over something like this. "Landed on, to be exact. We…we didn't get along."

Celestia settled into her seat and leaned closer to listen. She had to shift her weight a bit because of her size, but she was fine otherwise. "Yet she saved your life," she said.

"Only because I was useful to her!" Twilight replied. " We've fought a couple of times. She hates my guts and I hate her too! But…"

The intensity in Twilight's voice took Celestia aback. Seeing her mentor looking even more apprehensive, Twilight stared at her forelegs and pressed her lips together. Ever since she arrived in FangBreaker after being randomly teleported, her thoughts about the perpetually angry unicorn had been a confused and dark cloud in her head. She tried to think back to her fight with Pyre Valor on that rooftop back in Bastion City, and then during their fight with Nightmare Moon. Her feelings were much clearer during those times, clearer and purer. She had matched Pyre Valor's anger with her own and used that feeling to fuel her spell casting. The world shrank when she fought Pyre Valor. She traded an expansive view for a narrower, sharper one that she could only imagine once the fight was over. Now, she couldn't help but be reminded of previous conversations with Vanguard. He was adamant about treating Pyre Valor as an enemy. It was only now that she really understood why. It was just so much easier. She knew what to do with a Pyre Valor who wanted her dead. She had no idea what to make of a Pyre Valor who had saved her life.

"They're going to execute Pyre Valor soon," Twilight finally said. Throughout her reverie, the princess had waited patiently without any intrusion. "They're just waiting for the rest of FangBreaker's troops to arrive so every defender of the fort can see it. She's tried so hard to kill me and I've fought back just as hard but…I don't want her to die. Certainly not like this!" She looked desperately at Celestia, hoping that her mentor would know an answer to put her at ease. "I don't understand, your highness. She's my enemy and she brought this on herself, but I just feel that, if she dies, I'll lose something important!"

Celestia reached out with a hoof towards Twilight, who trembled and closed her eyes at the touch. "It's alright, Twilight," she heard the princess say. The calm in that voice smoothed over her frazzled nerves and quieted the confused thoughts in her mind. She nearly felt a tear spring to her eyes just from the relief.

Twilight opened her eyes a little. "Your highness?" she asked.

"You've done nothing wrong," Celestia said softly. "Showing respect, mercy and even some admiration for an enemy is not a betrayal of what you believe in. You have seen some good amidst all the qualities that you dislike, think about that."

"But she's going to die soon…"

"Yet not everything she is needs to die with her. Have you tried to talk to her since her imprisonment?"

Twilight's lips pressed into a pout. "She never has anything to say to me. If I try she'll just call me a bothersome nag again."

"She's attacked you with worse, hasn't she? A few rude words should count for nothing, especially with her time so uncertain."

Twilight's pout disappeared as she pondered her mentor's words for a while. A talk would settle things somewhat. With a determined look, she decided to talk with the abrasive unicorn. And she wasn't leaving that dungeon until she got something. "You're right, your highness," she said. "I should go right now!"

Celestia smiled and then nodded in response.

* * *

><p>With new details to consider, Terrato was going through his troop placements once more. He didn't trust every word that Blue Moon said but he had to admit that it was something to consider. Regardless of what was inside the Blasphemous Rift, it was still a source of power.<p>

He also had to consider what Celestia said. Sending even more legionnaires into the Heartland will make it look even more like an invasion. He already passed the word that Black Rose's Thorns were active once again. As he watched night begin to settle from a window, he remembered to warn Luna about Black Rose's agents as well. With the Blasphemous Rift at potential target, his younger sister may be closer to the fighting than originally anticipated.

The door to Terrato's quarters opened slowly. "Do you need something, dearest sister?" he asked without even looking.

"I need to make amends, Terrato," was the reply. "And not just for what happened today."

"I've already told you that I don't want to hear it while you're like that."

Celestia stepped farther into the room. "I am Celestia, with or without my power. Do my words still mean anything to you?"

"You're wasting your time," Terrato growled.

"I will stay for as long as it takes. We'll do this your way if that is what's necessary. I will accept any punishment."

Terrato snorted and refused to meet his sister's gaze. "Did you come here expecting a flogging or a branding of some sort?" he asked. "As if I could do those things!"

Celestia's voice softened. "We have to start somewhere, dearest brother."

"That doesn't have much of an impact when you have only one."

"That doesn't make it any less true."

Terrato let out an exhale and faced his sister. "Do you really have such a problem with how I'm dealing with the Elements of Harmony?"

"I'm willing to try your way," Celestia said with a smile. "But let me have a hoof in it as well."

Terrato matched the smile this time. "Fine, let's see how we can work that in."

The two of them settled down for a talk. Terrato glanced out a window as he did so, just to catch a glimpse of an especially bright moon out tonight.


	10. Fangs and Scales

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 10: Fangs and Scales**

The journey to the Western Barrier Land had been long and arduous for Spike even if he did spend most of it on the back of a pegasus legionnaire. His escort, Cirrus Wing, was far from the chatty sort. The long periods of silence sapped his energy more than any physical exertion involved. They stopped only for meals and brief periods of rest in order to get to the Western Barrier Lands as quickly as possible. Spike had wondered why Prince Terrato had not simply teleported him but could not work up the courage actually ask. The prince had noticed nonetheless.

_"Take the scenic route, Spike. It's not what you're used to but you might appreciate my realm's landscape."_

That was what Prince Terrato said anyway. There were other reasons for sure, but Spike didn't know what they were. The landscape was beautiful, especially with the view he had. The vast, rolling, snow-covered plains of the Northern Barrier Land gave way to steadily steeper hills and then to the forested mountains of the Western Barrier Land. Winter had also arrived in this place, covering the tall pines and firs with white.

Finally, after hours of flying after their last stop, Spike spotted a city sprawled across the side of one mountain. This must be Wallforge City. A lot of the trees around the place had been cut down. He could spot a lot of bare, rocky areas that looked like they had been quarried. Just like the previous city he had been flown over, the buildings were mostly stone and close to the ground. As he came closer, he spotted the multitude of stairs that led up and down the city streets. With the mountain's form, the city was as much vertical as it was horizontal, a trend he had observed in pretty much all of the Western Barrier Land he had seen so far.

Soon, Spike noticed a squad of around six pegasi fly up from one of the many watchtowers around the city and towards him and his escort. They were barded like legionnaires and armed with large crossbows and spears, each nearly twice as long as a pony, strapped across their backs.

"Halt! Who are you and what's your business here, pegasus pony?" the lead pegasus asked.

"Flight Sergeant Cirrus Wing of the Northern Equestrian Legion," Cirrus Wing replied with a salute. "Under the prince's direct orders, I am escorting this dragon to Seethe Scale for training."

After some scrutiny, the lead pegasus nodded and then ordered his ponies to fly by Cirrus Wing's side. "We've been expecting you," he said. "I'm Patrol Leader Shale Skin. Land by the northern gates, we'll have an escort to take you to her lair by ground."

"What's wrong with flying?" Cirrus Wing asked.

"Seethe Scale won't like catching a whiff of dragon flying close to her lair. She'll put a dozen of her arrows through you before you can come close enough to tell her you mean no harm."

With a nod, Cirrus Wing banked towards the northern gates along with the other pegasi.

"Doesn't Seethe Scale live in the city?" Spike asked the patrol leader.

"Thank the prince, no," Shale Skin replied. "She's scary enough from a distance. Besides, she hates crowds." He paused and then took a better look at Spike. "Not as much as she hates dragons, though. Are you sure about this? Even a squad of pegasi won't be enough to stop her if she decides she'd rather eat you than train you."

Spike quivered, and it wasn't just because of the winter air. For all his talk about wanting to do this so he can be of a greater help to his friends, he was terrified of being separated from them and undertaking this long journey without a single friendly face for miles. He had desperately hoped that this Seethe Scale was a friendly, personable sort who would help ease his loneliness and fears, but Prince Terrato said that the kirin tended to brood a lot. Now, the pegasus's words confirmed that his "teacher" was a dangerous one. He shook his head in determination nonetheless. "Let's do this," he said.

They landed just outside the northern gates. At ground level, Spike looked past the open gates and into the city. It was late morning when he got to this place and everypony was out working. The ponies outside were mostly earth ponies with a few pegasi and an occasional unicorn. Nearly all of them were involved in hard, physical labor. He had guessed right about the quarries. In addition to the paved streets, long, winding rails crisscrossed the place so train carts of stone can be wheeled about with ease. Even though it was winter, ponies still worked the quarries, pounding away at rocks or hauling about loads of them. At a distance, he spotted mine entrances as well as work areas to turn the broken stone into bricks. Most of the buildings were built low and close to the ground. Smoke rose from well over hundreds of chimneys, whether it was from the workshops or the residences. The most prominent feature in the city, however, was the giant stone statue of Prince Terrato at its center, visible even from where Spike was.

"Taking in the sights?" Shale Skin asked. A hint of pride tinged his voice. "Wallforge is one of our prince's favorite cities. It's a city of hard labor surrounded by the things he governs. We supply building stone to all corners of the Barrier Lands. We've also got a few gem mines so there's no shortage of greed or gluttony dragons looking for an easy meal if they're not going after ponies." He paused and looked towards the mountain's peak. "The city may not show it very much, but we're glad to have Seethe Scale around."

After a few minutes of waiting, a lone, green-coated earth pony stallion approached the squad. He was pulling a large wagon full of assorted sacks behind him .

"That's Mudslide over there," Shale Skin said. "He does deliveries to Seethe Scale's lair. He'll escort you for the rest of the way." With that, he and the rest of his patrol departed.

When the wagon came close enough, Cirrus Wing helped Spike climb inside and then explained to Mudslide all the necessary details. He then nodded at the dragon's direction. "I've done my duty here," he said. "Take care, Spike." He flew off towards the city, likely to get a a meal and few hours of rest before heading back. Spike waved a claw after him before fixing his attention on Mudslide.

"Looks like I got an interesting package to deliver to ol'Seethe," Mudslide said with a grin. He chewed on a long blade of grass as he spoke. "You just sit tight back there, little dragon. Oh, and don't touch the small sack of gems. She won't appreciate it."

Mudslide expertly navigated the wagon through the stony, sloping path while Spike sat on an unoccupied space in the wagon. Around him, the sacks jingled and clanked. He was sitting next to the aforementioned sack of gems, the baubles glinting temptingly at him. He did as Mudslide told him, though. He needed to make a good impression on Seethe Scale and eating what was likely her food was not the way to do it. To control himself, he looked at the other sacks. The one behind him contained a dozen or so metal spears. Each one had a broad and wickedly barbed head. "Why does she need so many spears?" he asked. "Does she break them often?"

"Those aren't spears, little dragon," Mudslide replied. "They're arrows. My sister has the honor of forging them for her. A couple of those in the right spot will bleed even a dragon out."

With a shudder, Spike inched away from the sack of "arrows". He looked at another sack which didn't contain such ominous tools. This one contained various grasses, flowers and herbs. "What about this one?" he asked. "More food?"

"Whoah! Careful with those. They're poisonous. She uses them for her arrows."

Surrounded by poison, dragon-slaying arrows and gems that he shouldn't touch, Spike hugged his knees and stayed at the farthest corner of the wagon. As the trip went on, the slope began to steepen and the air began to get colder. They were really out in the wilderness now. The path they were following was barely a dirt trail and the tall trees had given way to scraggly bushes and grass. Despite the rugged terrain, all Spike had to contend with were a couple of bumps. After a couple of hours of travel, they finally stopped in front of a large entrance to a cave.

"We're here, little dragon," Mudslide said.

Spike was more than happy to jump off the wagon to take a look around. The first thing that he noticed was the smell. An unfamiliar but incredibly wonderful aroma wafted from deep inside the cave, making his mouth water and his nose tingly.

"What is that smell?" he asked softly. The odor had left him in a daze.

Mudslide sniffed at the air and then wrinkled his nose. "She must be cooking up something again," he said in a huff. He unfastened the wagon from his back and then stood at the entrance. "Seethe Scale?" he called out. "It's me. I've got your deliveries here!"

"Leave them at the usual spot, Mudslide," somepony answered from within. Spike listened carefully, trying to gauge what Seethe Scale was like from the way she spoke. She had a powerful and deep voice tinged with huskiness and a hint of feminine softness. Though her words were loud, she sounded like she was subduing herself.

"I also have a little dragon here with me," Mudslide added. "A Wallforge patrol said that he's here to train under you."

A few moments of silence passed before Seethe Scale spoke again. "Leave them at the usual spot, Mudslide."

With a shrug of his shoulders, Mudslide dragged the wagon to a niche by the cave entrance and left it there. "Just stand there with the wagon, little dragon. I'm off to Wallforge. See you around…I hope."

Mudslide trotted down the trail, leaving Spike by himself. Nervously, he tried to peer deeper into the cave, but it was too dark to see anything save for what appeared to be a small fire farther in. Minutes passed while he just stood there, slowly being tortured by the delicious smell and his own apprehension over his first meeting with the kirin.

"Come inside," Seethe Scale finally said.

Spike wasn't sure if he should be relieved or be frightened some more. He walked towards the fire, expecting a pony with dragon scales to jump out of the shadows and eat him. He followed the aroma to what appeared to be a strange lump of…something attached to a metal bar and placed over the fire. As he came closer, he noticed some movement from the shadows past the flames. He squinted, but still couldn't see anything clear. "Um…hello?" he called out.

"You must be hungry after your trip. Eat up."

Spike stared at the thing that was "cooking" by the fire. It did smell delicious, but he had never eaten something so strange. He looked around some more and spotted a pile of gold coins and jewelry by the edges of the fire's light. "Um…can I have some gems instead? I'm also fine with some vegetables or even hay."

Seethe Scale didn't reply, leaving Spike in an awkward moment. His stomach rumbled and he almost considered just picking up one of the gems just scattered nearby, but he was afraid that the kirin would jump him if he so much as made the attempt. Finally, he gave in to his curiosity. The thing stuck by the fire did smell delicious and there really wasn't any reason for Seethe Scale to poison him. He tore off a hank of the stuff, ignoring the heat from the flame. The stuff was blackened and crispy on the outside, but still tender on the inside. It bubbled with some sort of oil and came apart in strips when he tore it up a bit. After one more moment of hesitation, he popped a strip into his mouth and chewed.

The sudden burst of flavor nearly made him choke. Whatever this stuff was, it was one of the tastiest things he had ever eaten. He bit into the rest of the hank he had taken and then dug into the lump. Oily juices covered his claws and ran down his chin as he continued to eat. With a slurp and a smack of his lips, he licked himself dry before sitting down to let his stomach settle. That was the best meal he had had in a while.

"Full?" Seethe Scale asked from the shadows.

"Yes," Spike replied. "What is this stuff? It's so delicious! Is it some kind of special dragon food?"

"It's boar."

Spike stopped and then looked at where Seethe Scale's voice came from in confusion. "Excuse me?" he asked. "Did you just say-?"

"Boar. I picked a young one so you can chew easily…you're welcome."

Spike slowly turned his attention back to the thing roasting over the fire. Horror and nausea began to creep up on him. Boar! He had been eating with so much gusto and calling it delicious! He stepped forward and pointed towards Seethe Scale's voice. "You tricked me!" he cried out accusingly.

"No."

"I wouldn't have touched this thing if you told me it was boar!"

"I didn't say it was vegetables either. Your nose and your tongue told you it was good food and you believed them."

Spike pulled his tongue out and wrung it, as one would do to a washcloth, in a desperate attempt to get rid of the taste. He felt betrayed by his own body. That he had enjoyed it so much left him mortified. He had been better off eating poison.

"Are you done?"

Spike could hear something big sliding against the stone floor. Instinctively, he stepped back just as a stream of fire burst from the shadows. He ducked in a panic, and then fell flat on his belly. Even though the flames didn't even come close to touching him, he could feel the heat of their passing. When he looked up, the cave was much brighter. The flames had lit several torches ensconced along the walls.

"Stand up."

From where he was, Spike felt the ground vibrate slightly as Seethe Scale began to move. He did as he was told quickly. With the cave now properly lit, he could finally get a good look at his host and likely companion for the next six months. At the sight of her, he immediately fell on his tail in shock.

Spike had spent his entire life being around other creatures that were bigger than he was. Looking up to ponies was nothing new, but he could not have expected this. Seethe Scale towered above him, easily four or five times the size of an average pony. Her head and neck were that of a pony's with a slightly more pronounced and reptilian snout compared to the mares he knew. Her long, straight mane was a very pale lavender color, almost white near the roots. Three horns sprouted from her head, two curved gracefully to the sides of her skull while a third one pointed upward from her forehead.

Despite the name, Seethe Scale was mostly covered with fur rather than scales. She had a luxurious, long, white coat that gave way to equally white scales past her knees and on her long, dragon tail. Her forelegs ended in a pair of claws while her hind legs ended in hooves. She a pair of dragon wings were carefully folded to her sides. "Introductions," she said, her tail flicking about lazily. "My name is Seethe Scale."

The kirin stared at Spike quietly and expectantly. It took a minute of him just staring in awe before he finally realized that he should answer with his own introduction. "It's…uh…what was it?" He cast about his mind until he found what he was looking for. "It's Spike! That's right, my name is Spike."

Seethe Scale lowered her head so that her snout was only a few inches from Spike. He heard her sniff before she pulled back. "You smell correct," she said. "I see the wisdom in our prince's decision now. Dragon in body and pony everywhere else…you're just as much a hybrid as I am." She walked farther into the back of the cave. Despite her enormous size, she moved quietly and gracefully.

"Let's start."

* * *

><p>To a citizen of the glorious empire, the ophidite city of Ervain Reis could not be further from an ideal home. As the northernmost of Ophidus's settlements, it was more an outpost and a launching point for an invasion rather than a proper home. The streets were a chaotic mass of soldiers moving about, vendors selling their wares and slave traders herding their ponies to the nearest bidding stall. It was only to be expected given that it was so close to the pandemonium that was Equestria and so far from the emperor's abode.<p>

Hassyth surveyed it all from his manor's balcony with an impatient sneer. Despite the time he had already spent here, he was never going to get used to the rabble or the smell of so many unwashed ponies milling about in the open. Ervain Reis was no home to a noble of the Coatl tribe and it never will be.

Of course, whenever Hassyth's thoughts strayed towards that subject, he only needed to glance back to the sad state of his manor to remember that he was barely a coatl noble at the moment. He was down to this one manor at the borders of the empire, a dozen servants, a couple dozen pony slaves and two concubines. It was a far cry from his time in the capital where he was among the very elite of the emperor's tribe. That was long ago, even a mere decade of misery in this city could make the best of times seem a mere dream.

So deep was Hassyth in his reminiscing that he barely noticed the sudden draft and whistle of something flying past him mere inches from his face. With an angry hiss, he unfurled his wings and unleashed his magic, covering himself with a crackling barrier of protective force. He looked behind him to find a quivering arrow stuck to the wooden floor. 'Sniper,' he thought. He cast another spell and the arrow began to glow as a thin trail of light began to extend from its fletched end, tracing its path through the air. His gaze followed the trail only to find it go on and on to the late noon sky. He squinted at the distance and noticed something. It looked like the figure of a pegasus, but it was so far away that it was barely more than a dot. A second later and it was already gone.

'So Equestria has decided to send assassins after me?' Hassyth thought. It didn't make sense. He had lost his place of importance a long time ago. Equestria had little to gain with his death. He looked back to the arrow that had been shot at him and then finally noticed something. There was a twist of paper tied to the shaft as well as what appeared to be a pair of cards attached next to it. Telekinetically, he separated the paper from the shaft and took a look.

_Hassyth of the Coatl tribe,_

_Greetings. I apologize for the rather rude method of message delivery. I would meet you myself but I am pressed with important matters. I hope you understand._

_I have done a bit of research lately and came upon your name. You have a past as colorful as your wings and I understand that you have gone down in the world these past years. Attached to this message are a couple of photographs that you are certain to find very interesting. If you wish to pursue this matter, signal my agent in your area, Longstride, through a simple flare spell and he will coordinate with your plans._

_Sincerely,_

_Black Rose_

Hassyth crumpled the note and tossed it aside. He didn't recognize the name. The offer was a bit intriguing, though. He took the cards, photographs as he now realized, and looked. "Scarlet Rabbit!" he hissed as he did so. The red coat and the darker red mane were unmistakable, as were the facial features and the wings. Despite the barding, he knew who it was. It was his prize racer, still alive and healthy. He felt himself tremble with excitement. The loss of Scarlet Rabbit was the highlight of that disastrous pony raid on his holdings. He had lost a great deal of resources and the greatest source of his income. To think that the Equestrian Legion now benefited from his most valuable racer! They had likely messed with his conditioning. Already, he imagined reacquiring the pegasus and resetting the proper training. He will corner the races once more and his fortune will return.

_"And so the brave hunter Nasihihyth ignored the warnings of his fellows and chased after the strange scarlet rabbit. Through brushes, woods and rivers he pursued the creature, firing his poisoned arrows upon it. For days he could not stop in his chase until he finally ran it down and slew it. With a loud hiss of joy he raised the animal in a triumphant grip. It was then that Nasihihyth looked around and discovered that the creature had led him far away from any known trails. He was tired, hungry, without supplies and lost. The hunter cursed at his folly and was never seen again."_

Hassyth laughed inwardly as he remembered the old bedtime story of his grandmother. He was no foolish hunter, he was a determined noble who was merely reacquiring his possessions. He put the first photograph aside and looked at the other one. Acquiring Scarlet Rabbit was more than enough for him to consider working with this "Longstride". What else could be there?

He found himself looking at the picture of another pegasus. This one was a light blue mare. He could tell from her sleek build and well-developed wings that this one would be a good flyer as well. She was still young and easily trainable if he could get her to a proper racing stable. It was her mane that quickly grabbed his attention however. This pegasus had the most fascinating mane he had seen among pegasi. "Coatl coloration!" he exclaimed. He looked to his own rainbow-colored wings and then back to the photograph. This was a valuable find indeed. Never mind her potential as a racer, if he could present her before Emperor Sesyth's court, a fine pegasus specimen with the colors of the Coatl tribe, the emperor would reward him with a fortune that not even Scarlet Rabbit could acquire after a lifetime of winning races. He imagined bringing her to the palace on that day and having her bow obediently before the mighty leader of the empire. Better yet, if he could train her to dance to "Pride of the Ophidites", his fortune was assured.

"Hashymissa!" Hassyth called out. At once, a female member of the Vipren tribe slithered into his chambers. Hashymissa had been his chief servant even before he had been forced to stay in this wretched city. She was Scarlet Rabbit's trainer and was responsible for all his pony slaves.

"You called, master?" Hashymissa hissed.

"I have an important mission for you, something that may take you to Equestria itself."

"That is a truly perilous mission indeed, master."

Hassyth nodded. Equestria was a dangerous place filled with vigilant pony legionnaires who would be more than happy to kill any ophidite who dared to trespass. "I have heard the scouts," he said. "Equestria is dealing with matters by its other borders. If there was ever a time to infiltrate it, now will be the time." He looked down his balcony again. Ervain Reis was marshaling its own troops for a raid on Equestria itself. If it wasn't for the growing crisis of the Crocodilian Rebellions closer to the capital, Ophidus would be launching an all-out assault on its northern neighbor. "Bring eight of our best indoctrinated slaves with you. You are to capture these ponies alive." He tossed the photographs at Hashymissa, who grabbed it with her hands.

With that, Hasyth looked up to the steadily darkening sky and fired a flare spell.


	11. Effigy

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 11: Effigy**

In its centuries of history, FangBreaker Fortress had seen more than its fair share of executions. The Equestrian Legion valued unflinching duty and discipline. Ponies who failed to embody those virtues were looked upon poorly and swiftly punished. Deserters, spies, rebels and those whose incompetence brought about the deaths of many all met their fate at the end of a noose. Hanging was a traitor's death and a punishment that didn't end with merely the criminal's corpse. The shame of the crime often continued to haunt the families of the condemned. The ponies of the Barrier Lands were not above casting some of the blame on a criminal's parentage or even ancestry.

As she walked the passageway that led from her cell to the fortress's main courtyard, it was that last sentiment that gave Pyre Valor, at least, a vague twinge in her chest. Her parents were still back in Bastion City. They had survived the siege for sure. She had confidence in the Legion's protection. She knew that even without being told.

That didn't stop an annoying pony from telling her anyway.

_"Your parents are still alive and well, you know," Twilight Sparkle said._

_Huddled against a corner of her cell, Pyre Valor rested her head against a wall without paying attention to the purple unicorn. She now genuinely believed that she was better off having the guards beat her up than put up with this. "And why should I care about them, nag?" she asked. "I just ruined whatever shambles of a name they had. Oh, and I would have let the wolven kill them if the siege had succeeded."_

_"Do you really care nothing about them at all?"_

_"What's going on here, Twilight Sparkle? You come in here and start pestering me for what? Entertainment? How did you get the guards to let you in anyway? Did you convince them that you'll torture me with your inanities?"_

_"I just…I just want to understand you better!"_

_Pyre leaned forward from her corner. Her face was so swollen and bruised that even scowling hurt her. "We haven't become friends, Twilight Sparkle!" she hissed. "Don't think that, because of what happened before we ended up here, I'm going to 'open up' to you!"_

_"Oh, I know we're not friends," Twilight replied._

_"Then stop wasting my time and yours!"_

_"There has to be more to this, Pyre Valor!" Twilight insisted. "You'll be executed tomorrow. I can't accept that as the end!"_

_"You've only known me for about a month. What could you possibly know about how it all ends? Tomorrow will be a conclusion that has taken all my life to reach."_

_"So that's it? You're just going to walk out there and hang?"_

_Pyre Valor leaned back on her wall. It was late and she was tired. This was only her second night of being able to sleep without being angry over the division or being possessed by Nightmare Moon. It was probably also her last and she didn't want to waste minutes of it talking to Twilight Sparkle. "Yes," she said quietly."What else do you want, Twilight Sparkle? The pony who kept kicking your flank is going to die." She let herself smile wryly. "You should be dancing jigs not making it sound like you're going to miss me."_

_Twilight reared up and struck the bars with her front hooves. "Don't be flippant!" she said angrily. "I haven't even beaten you yet!"_

_The smile disappeared momentarily as Pyre Valor processed the information. Beaten her? The idea hadn't even occurred to her. She had come to respect the annoying purple unicorn's magical power and focus. That Twilight could stand up to Nightmare Moon, even for a short while, made her worthy of the Legion's uniform. The idea of some form of rivalry…"Is that what this is about?" she asked. "You don't want me executed so you can have the pleasure of killing me yourself?"_

_"No!" Twilight answered indignantly. She looked aside, unable to meet Pyre's questioning look. "It's not about killing you," she continued, more quietly this time. "But I… I've never wanted to beat anypony before. Not in my entire life." She looked at Pyre Valor as she went on. "You asked me before if I've ever looked at another unicorn and asked myself 'How can I beat her?'. The answer was never. Not until you came along. Ever since that day, I've thrown myself into study and training so I can beat you. I've never studied that way before. That kind of drive and focus…pushing myself and imagining that scene when I win…" Her voice trailed off. Several seconds passed before she completed the sentence. "I liked it…" she said softly, almost just to herself. By the time she was done, she looked embarrassed and unsure of herself._

_Pyre Valor laughed._

_At first, a look of confusion spread across Twilight's face, but the sheer scorn in Pyre's laugh turned that confusion into anger. "What's so funny?" she asked, her face already reddening from rage and embarrassment._

_"That was pathetic!" Pyre said derisively. She walked up to the bars of her cell so she faced Twilight directly. Her laughter subsided. She was serious before she spoke again. "Nightmare Moon called me an insect when she first possessed me," she said. "But she was scared when she faced you. I was an insect and you were a threat! Yet here you are talking about your lofty goal of beating me in single combat!" Her hooves shot through the bars so quickly and suddenly that Twilight had no time to react. She grabbed the purple unicorn by the mane, and then pulled her closer, slamming her face into the bars. "Protect Equestria, no matter the cost and no matter who pays it!" she growled. "I almost lost sight of that goal because of you. You don't get to make that mistake. Not when you get to live while I die! Put it above yourself and whatever small, pathetic, personal goals you might have!" She let the stunned unicorn go and walked back to the corner of her cell. "I'm just one unicorn mage. Tomorrow, I'll just be a corpse. You'll have more enemies ahead. Stop feeling sorry that your little spat with me ended before you could get the upper hoof."_

_Twilight had no answer. She was still rubbing her forehead painfully when Pyre shouted for the guards._

Pyre Valor reached the section of the passage that connected her branch of the dungeon with the branch Blademane was put in. The brown stallion had been led out as well and now walked behind her as they continued. Their guards surrounded them like a wall of silent, moving metal. She looked to Blademane and noticed that he had been severely beaten up too.

"Are you alright?" Blademane asked. The genuine concern in his tone was another thing that actually felt painful for Pyre.

"Does it matter?" she asked in return. "We'll both be dead soon."

"True."

They walked on silently for a time. They could see the light from the courtyard at the end of the passageway when

Pyre spoke again. "Tell me something, Blademane," she said.

"Yes?"

"I am never going to be able to return the sort of loyalty you've shown me. You knew this from the start. No more silent treatment. Now that we're so close to the end, tell me why you've come this far."

Blademane answered first with his usual silence. Pyre was about to prod him when he decided to speak on his own. "I never expected you to reciprocate," he said. "At the start, maybe I did. But it wasn't even about that in the end. Has it really not occurred to you that I might actually believe in your cause?"

"It could have if you actually talked," Pyre replied.

"My fault then. To be fair, I didn't believe in it right away. I thought that you'd eventually calm down, marry Vanguard Clash, and be a quiet, productive legionnaire."

"You were wrong."

"In more than one way. I agreed with you. I never said I did. I didn't have the courage to be as outspoken as you were. I got my chance to change that when you two fought."

Pyre Valor looked behind her and found the stallion smiling for the first time she had known him. She looked away when she felt a smile beginning to curve her lips. "What a pair we make," she said. "The mare who talked too much and the stallion who talked too little."

"Thank you, Pyre Valor."

Pyre nearly stopped in her tracks at that. "What could you possibly have to thank me for?" she asked.

"Giving me a chance to say something I would never have if I spent the rest of my life serving in the Legion. You said all the words and made all the decisions. All I needed to do was stay by your side. Thank you for that."

"Now you're talking too much, Blademane."

Both of them fell silent when they finally made it out to the courtyard. The open space was full of legionnaires today, all present to see the execution of the two "villains" of the wolven invasion. Any other work around the fortress save for guard duty, had been delayed. As Pyre walked past the rows of legionnaires, she looked straight ahead and towards the gallows. Though she didn't look, she could tell that, somewhere amidst the crowd, Vanguard Clash was watching, as was Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps they were even watching together. On the gallows, she saw the imposing figure of the prince of the Barrier Lands himself.

It wasn't until she was climbing up the wooden stairs of the gallows that Pyre Valor noticed something strange. There was no hangpony around. The nooses were prepared, but the only pony on the structure besides her, Blademane and their guards was Prince Terrato. Was the prince going to hang her himself?

With Pyre Valor standing at the center of the gallows, Terrato gestured for the guards to remove her horn-lock and then leave. "You have some nerve pushing me as you have, Pyre Valor," he said. His voice carried over to every pony present. "Hundreds of your fellows are dead by your betrayal and you aided Nightmare Moon, an enemy not just of Equestria, but of the Eternal Herd itself. Every Black Rose rebel has paid with his life by hanging, but I think something different should await the pony who has done more."

Pyre held her prince's gaze without flinching. She wasn't going to lower her head in contrition when she felt contrite over nothing. When Prince Terrato remained silent, she decided to speak for one last time.

"Terrato wait!"

Before Pyre could utter a word, she spotted another alicorn fly towards her, landing right next to the prince. She didn't recognize the white coat and the pink mane, but she could tell who this alicorn was. She braced herself for the rage, the same rage that had smoldered within her nearly all her life. But, to her surprise, all she felt was a mild annoyance, and it was more because Princess Celestia had interrupted the procedures than any anger towards the worst of Equestria's alicorn rulers. For a frightful moment, Pyre Valor considered that she might have unconsciously forgiven the nag princess. She realized, however, that it wasn't forgiveness that sapped her rage. She was simply spent. She had thrown what she had at the nag princess and her foul edict, and she got the results she wanted. The anger had been slowly dissipating even when Nightmare Moon had still possessed her. Now, she just wanted to get things over.

"Celestia, I thought you had your fill of hangings from your time in Bastion City," Terrato said quietly.

"You told me yourself that my division was wrong, Terrato," Celestia said. "This pony has done terrible things, as had those rebels in Bastion City, but what end do their deaths accomplish?"

Terrato lowered his voice before replying. "Why don't we ask her?" he suggested. He turned his attention back to Pyre Valor. "Do you wish to be spared, Pyre Valor?" he asked.

"No," was the quick and sure reply.

Celestia shifted her attention to Pyre Valor and couldn't help but take a step back when she met the fierce stare of the condemned unicorn. "Pyre Valor," she said. "Do you honestly wish to be executed like this?" she asked in disbelief.

A spark of her old rage lit up in Pyre Valor. "Like this". Celestia certainly had some nerve looking down on her. Terrato took only one look at her and he quickly understood. He stepped between his sister and the condemned unicorn.

"My sister hasn't quite grasped the way things are in the Legion," Terrato said to Pyre. He glanced at Celestia briefly before continuing. "I think you understand why there's no hangpony around and why I had your horn-lock removed."

"I understand perfectly, your highness," Pyre replied.

Terrato raised his voice again so that everypony in the courtyard heard. "The pony who has done more than the Black Rose rebels should be dealt with in a manner different from them. Pyre Valor, you've spent your life taking matters into your own hooves. It's only fitting that your death be of the same manner."

Pyre Valor dropped to her knees in response. "This is an honor I don't deserve, your highness," she said.

"I've heard your reasons from Vanguard Clash and Dreadstep's reports," Terrato said in return. "Not only that, you could have run off when you had the chance. A lot of Black Rose rebels certainly tried. Instead, you performed one last favor for the Legion. Crazy as it may sound, I can actually respect that."

After that, Pyre stood up and jumped down the gallows. The ponies closest to her gasped and backed away, fearing an attack. Indeed, Pyre's horn began to glow a deep red as she intoned a spell.

* * *

><p>From the crowd, Twilight Sparkle moved forward, her horn already glowing with a spell of her own. She knew it! Pyre Valor wasn't just going to fade into nothing like this! She wasn't…<p>

A blast of deep red flames engulfed Pyre Valor at the end of her spell. The flames quickly consumed her mane, tail and coat, sending clouds of smoke spiraling upward. She dropped to her knees, her face twisting in terrific agony, but she didn't so much as let out a cry of pain.

Twilight stopped dead in her tracks, her spell fizzling out before it could be completed. She watched in horror even as the heat and smoke obscured her view. "No!" she cried out. She moved forward again but somepony suddenly grabbed her from behind and held her still. With a cry of rage and frustration, she looked at who it was, and found Vanguard Clash. He looked at her sadly before looking back to the burning spectacle. Mollified somewhat, she followed his gaze.

_"And that's why you make them white-hot."_

She remembered Owlsight's words as she looked at the flames. A white-hot blaze would have consumed Pyre Valor quickly and without suffering. The white unicorn had chosen to lessen the intensity of the fire spell. "You foal…" she said with a sob. "This doesn't make up for anything!"

Atop the gallows, Celestia moved forward but Terrato blocked her path. With nopony to stop him, Blademane jumped down from the gallows and hugged the burning unicorn. The flames blazed even fiercer and engulfed him as well.

Though the crowd had been surprised at first, they soon realized what had just happened and went on to calmly watch the scene. Through it all, neither Pyre Valor nor Blademane made a sound. It was hard to even tell if they had already died because of their silence. Not a single pony spoke as the two burned so that the only sound that could be heard was the crackling of flames.

The blaze eventually died down, leaving behind vaguely pony-shaped masses of ash that crumbled into an indistinct pile. Terrato stared at the pile grimly and then motioned for some guards. "Gather their remains," he told them. "Mark their graves with what exactly they did."

As the guards hurried to do his bidding, Terrato passed by his sister, who was still looking at the smoking pile in confusion. "I don't understand," she said softly. "Why did she want to die so badly?"

"Want has nothing to do it," Terrato replied. "Get some rest, dearest sister, we'll be at the Heartland before the day's end." With that, he flew off. Celestia glanced sadly at the smoking pile one more time and then flew after him.

As the crowd began to disperse, both Twilight Sparkle and Vanguard Clash continued to look on. A few more tears ran down Twilight's cheeks when she finally turned away. She wiped them away angrily, silently reminding herself that she despised Pyre Valor. It didn't work. She noticed her friends already coming over, concern and confusion mixing on their faces. She felt a foreleg go around her shoulders.

"Save your grief," Vanguard said. Even his normally stoic voice cracked. "We all knew that this was going to be the end of it, her most of all. If you have a shred of respect for her, you should be glad that his highness granted her the honor of ending her own life."

"Is that what honor's supposed to be?" Twilight whispered harshly. "Do you want something like that, Vanguard?"

"Dying for something I believe in?" Vanguard asked. "When the time comes, perhaps. Put this scene behind you, Twilight Sparkle, you wouldn't want to go home with a burning mare in your thoughts." He let go of Twilight once the others had come close enough and then moved on.

* * *

><p>A few hours later and Vanguard was making his way towards Storm Brew's newly rebuilt bar and brewery. The ashes were supposed to be buried in marked graves, but a discussion arose among the higher-ranked officers as to what that meant. A lot agreed that blank tombstones should suffice. Somepony said that a plaque of sorts should mark the site as a warning for others. Another said that placing such a mark would only plant the seeds of Pyre Valor being called a hero. Yet another argued that such a scenario may not be so bad.<p>

Through it all Vanguard was only interested in finally laying the unicorn to rest. The squabbling only reminded him that, ultimately, Pyre Valor had gotten off easy. She did not have to live and deal with the events that she had helped set into motion. As he approached Storm Brew's, he found a familiar purple unicorn already sitting by the bar. Twilight wobbled slightly, and then looked up at him with a half-smile before waving a hoof. "Vanguard!" she called out. "About time you showed up! Does it take that long to bury a pot?"

Storm Brew had walked over to Vanguard before he could reach the bar. "How much as she had?" he asked.

The white unicorn rubbed her messy mane with a hoof. "I gave her a mug that's a quarter 'Good Stuff' and three quarters water," she replied. "She's made it to half the mug. Rounding up that is. Super strong magic and zero alcohol tolerance…wonderful mix we have there."

"Thank you," Vanguard said. He took a seat next to Twilight, but didn't order a drink of his own."This better not become a new habit of yours, Twilight."

"Then unicorns should stop lighting themselves on fire!" Twilight snapped. She stared morosely at her drink and looked like she was about to take another pull but stopped halfway.

"I must admit, I didn't think her death would affect you this much," Vanguard said.

"She was such a nag…" Twilight mumbled. "Right down to the end she was mocking me. How did you ever put up with that?"

"There was more to Pyre than just her anger over the division. If you had only met her a couple of years earlier…she would have been happier knowing you."

"I doubt it," Twilight replied. "We would have never gotten along."

"Not as friends," Vanguard insisted. "You would have been great rivals. Sparring duels in the day…boasting and comparing victories in the night. I would have never heard the end of it from her when it came to you."

"She would have liked that kind of relationship?" Twilight asked incredulously.

"Of course. She'd probably prize it more than some friendships."

"I'll never understand her." Twilight looked at her mug and tried to take another pull again. This time, the mug made it all the way to her lips before her she set it down with barely a sip. Some time passed before she ventured to talk to Vanguard again. "Say Vanguard?" she asked.

"Hm?"

"Does your squad still need a unicorn mage?"

"Why are you asking?"

"I want the job."

"Why the sudden interest in Special Operations?"

Twilight paused briefly, likely trying to form an answer despite the alcohol fog in her mind. "I'll be able to do a lot more in a small special squad like yours," she said. "Especially against somepony like Black Rose who doesn't act through giant, predictable armies."

"That's a good reason. I hope it's the real one and not because of something Pyre said or did.

"Well…there might be that too."

"Ask me again when you're sober."

Twilight pushed the mug away and stared at Vanguard intensely. "Is that all I need to do?" she asked.

Vanguard rubbed his temples and let out a slow exhale. He had expected this somehow. He didn't know why, but he did ever since his mother brought it up. Twilight could do the job. She needed a bit more experience, but she was certainly going to get that soon. She was already working with specialized groups anyway, as were the rest of her friends. It was now also obvious that, since she already asked, he couldn't ignore this anymore. "What you need to do is to go home, Twilight Sparkle," he answered.

Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but Vanguard raised a hoof to interrupt.

"As soon as you make it back home, go talk to all the friends you left behind when you got banished. Reunite with your family. Reconnect with your old life. Once you've done all of that, ask yourself if you still want Pyre Valor's old job. If the answer's still yes, ask me again. I'll give it some serious thought then."

A smile crossed Twilight's face. "I'll do that then!"

"Have you made all the preparations?"

The smile disappeared. "Uh…let me check on that!" She ran off, leaving behind the still half-full mug of watered down "Good Stuff".

Vanguard shook his head and turned his gaze skyward. "Even dead you're causing me problems, Pyre," he said softly. He walked off to finish his preparations too. Earlier, he had received his latest orders from Commander Dreadstep. He and Scarlet Rabbit, as well as a few more Special Operations squads, had business in the Heartland.


	12. The Road to Reunification

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 12: The Road to Reunification**

When she heard from her brother that he and Celestia were teleporting to the royal palace, Luna had immediately returned to Canterlot to greet them. After days of going from one settlement to the next, she was both glad and frightened that this day had finally arrived. It was already sunset by the time she made it to the palace and she was just in time to see the gathering gray light that heralded Terrato's teleportation spell.

The transition from Barrier Lands and Heartland to a single united Equestria now hinged on how well the next few days went. The teleportation to the palace was done in secret. Terrato's first appearance before the Heartland's ponies needed to be carefully managed. Celestia's new, depowered state merited the same thing.

The weight and volatility of the situation was the reason that her heart dropped when she saw her two older siblings step out of the teleportation spell. The two were not even looking at each other and the space between them said more than any explanation on their part would have.

Though she had recovered well physically, even traveling on somepony else's teleportation spell seemed to sap Celestia's fragile magical strength. Luna gestured towards the only royal guards so far who had been properly filled in on their princess's current condition: Pegasus Guard Captain Bright Shield, who was still struggling with the nervous tremor in his right foreleg since his encounter with the Equi Ignei, and Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor, who was still recovering from the disturbing things he had been hearing about his younger sister. Luna wholly believed that that was as traumatizing as hearing the alien tongue of the Eternal Herd's enforcers. It was not yet even a week since she was able to assure the poor stallion that his sister was neither a criminal nor dead. The two of them escorted Celestia to her quarters, ready to assist in case she keeled over.

With Celestia in no condition to talk, Luna approached her older brother. The guilty and annoyed look on his face only proved further that they had to talk before tomorrow's "presentation". The two of them headed on over to his prepared quarters.

* * *

><p>"You weren't the least bit fair, big brother," Luna said reproachfully. After hearing from Terrato what had happened earlier in the day. It was all she could do to stem some of the resentment she felt. She had never met this Pyre Valor save for her encounter with Nightmare Moon's new host. Yet, even second hoof knowledge was enough to make her feel something over the unicorn's death. They had both been possessed by Nightmare Moon and they had both attacked Celestia in a rage but, while Luna was spared, Pyre Valor was condemned to a slow and painful death. She watched as her brother settled into his quarters and could tell that he had a lot in his mind. The seeming of betrayal of this Blue Moon must be difficult to deal with and the information about the Blasphemous Rift…steps had to be taken. It was likely that he was in no mood for what she had to say, but it was because of so many decisions that the three of them had to make that Luna decided to confront Terrato over this brewing issue.<p>

When they heard that they were to set up a room for royalty, the castle's staff had tried to outdo themselves in decorations and luxury items. Terrato had reacted to the extravagance as if he had been forced to wear the frilliest dress ever sewn together. "Oh so I'm to blame in this?" Terrato asked once he sat down gingerly. "Isn't it enough that I take what she says into account when it comes to the Elements of Harmony?" The chair was the biggest one available in the palace, but he was still too big for it. His uncomfortable expression made him look even more out of place in the royal palace.

"I asked you to talk to big sister before I left for the Heartland. I was hoping that things will be better between you two when you get here. Instead they've gotten worse! She protested against that execution and you just shoved her aside!" Luna let out a sigh. "It's good that you let Twilight and the others return to their homes here but 'taking what she says into account' isn't enough. We may get to suggest things, but you still maintain absolute control of the legion and the Barrier Lands.

"All I did was enforce my laws," Terrato said angrily. "There's nothing-!"

"Your laws don't cut it anymore, big brother!" Luna interrupted. "We're done with 'your realm' and 'big sister's realm' remember?" Her frown deepened and she turned her gaze downwards. "Your legionnaires look at you through rose colored glasses because you've fought alongside the ponies of the Barrier Lands for centuries. They don't consider the fact that you're just as guilty as big sister when it comes to the existence of that barrier. If big sister was the judge who sentenced them to their fate, you were the warden that enforced that sentence."

"Are we going to throw blame around now, Luna?" Terrato asked, his voice dropping dangerously.

For a terrifying moment, Luna thought that he might actually attack but she remembered that, even when simply arguing, her brother reflexively fell into a fighting stance. "I'm not interested in blame," she said. "What I want is for us to fix where we keep going wrong! Big sister was wrong for banishing Twilight, you were wrong for punishing Vanguard Clash and you were wrong for letting Pyre Valor burn and the Black Rose rebels hang. We can't move forward with a united Equestria if we keep falling back to the old ways we created! Now, I'm starting to think it was wrong to let you maneuver your legionnaires within the Heartland and prepare for a draft."

"What are you talking about?" Terrato asked. "The Legion needs resources, I thought you understood that! Didn't you agree when Celestia protested against it?"

"I did because I believed it was necessary to protect Equestria. Our Equestria not just yours!"

"You have some nerve of accusing me of being a tyrant!" Terrato snarled. He banged the table with a hoof, causing cracks to immediately spread out. "I never wanted to rule over these ponies!"

"But when big sister's power was stolen, you had no problem assuming some of her authority!" Luna shot back. "Yet you haven't reciprocated by sharing control over the Barrier Lands!"

"The Equestrian Legion," Terrato stressed the "Equestrian" part, "serves not just me but all of Equestria. I thought I made that clear already."

"Then prove it tomorrow," Luna insisted. At her brother's questioning look, she went on. "Give me and big sister authority over the Legion that's equal to yours so that no major decisions on their part can be accomplished without an agreement between all three of us."

"That's insane!" Terrato protested. "You think I can just wave a hoof and get the Legion to accept the two of you as its leaders?"

"Certainly not, but it's a start. Just as Celestia and I approving of you is only a start to get the Heartland ponies to accept you as a leader."

"No!"

"I may have spoken on your behalf, big brother, but I will organize a resistance with big sister if I have to. 'Your' legionnaires will have to drag their new recruits kicking and screaming to their posts and they'll have to pillage their resources instead of having them delivered."

"I thought you wanted to help, Luna," Terrato growled.

"I want to help reunite Equestria under the three of us, not under just you. That's Black Rose's goal, if I recall, and I will fight her every step of the way to prevent that." Luna put a hoof on the table right next to her brother's for emphasis. "You have no idea how to deal with the ponies here, big brother. Big sister has no idea how to deal with the ponies of your realm and I certainly can't deal with both. We need the two of you working together, not going back to your old ways. We either share in ruling this united realm or we fall apart."

Terrato crossed his forelegs and fell silent. In response, Luna waited patiently. Terrato can be stubborn and hard-headed, but she still had faith in him. Celestia had been wrong about Terrato becoming a monster, but she wasn't entirely wrong about the change. Luna had taken the time to read up on how Terrato laid down laws in the Barrier Lands. He expected unquestioning loyalty from his ponies. Questioning orders alone merited punishment. For a thousand years, the ponies of the Barrier Lands considered it a virtue on their part to never question him while those who did were severely punished. It was no wonder that he found it difficult to rule with anypony as an equal. It was becoming more apparent now that, for all his declarations of devotion to Celestia, Terrato would prefer to just place his sister on a pedestal and shower her with adoration while he commanded the mortal ponies of Equestria. At least Celestia wanted to share with her sister. The last time Terrato had tried, it was with Black Rose. 'Yet another problem I can partly lay at your hooves," she thought at the new "alicorn".

It felt like an hour to Luna before her brother finally deigned to speak. "Alright," he grudgingly said. "I will gather the Legion's high command as soon as possible and they will swear fealty to you and Celestia. I will commit to your idea of reunification, Luna. Your thousand year time-out has saved you from developing the biases that Celestia and I have. It may well be a blessing for these circumstances. " He smiled wryly. "You haven't steered us wrong yet."

"I'm not blameless in this," Luna replied. "I wasted so much time because I was blind and jealous. Even when I finally returned, I didn't even have the nerve to act until Twilight Sparkle set off the events that brought us to this." She looked at her older brother and matched his smile. "What I've realized is that, left alone, the three of us keep making stupid decisions. But working together…"

Terrato stood up. "I will admit that I've had more than a hoof in how this all turned out, just as I admitted to Celestia that we were both wrong when it came to the division. I'll also admit that, lately, I've preferred to do things my way. I figured that letting Celestia make all the decisions was what caused all this trouble." He looked out a nearby window and to the night sky that Luna had just prepared. "My way hasn't been good enough. This reunification will change that." He made his way to the bed. "It's time for us to turn in. We have a lot of work tomorrow."

"Goodnight then, big brother. And good luck to all of us."

* * *

><p>When she and her friends had gathered together for a teleportation spell from Prince Terrato, Twilight had expected seeing some differences when she returned to Ponyville. She had braced herself when the alicorn's gray magic enveloped her and her friends.<p>

Actually appearing in the middle of Ponyville however, quickly proved to her that she hadn't braced herself enough. It wasn't just the village. It was the very land itself that felt different. The colors were so vibrant that they hurt her eyes. The fragrance of flowers was so strong that she was dazed in a minute. And the warmth…she trembled in response, she never imagined that mere warmth could feel so good. She shook her head and waited for her senses to settle.

"Look everypony! They're back!" somepony called out.

It took all of a couple of seconds for Twilight and her friends to be surrounded by nearly every pony in Ponyville. Except for Fluttershy, that is. Before anypony could come close, she was already surrounded by a horde of woodland creatures, shielding her from the others in a living wall of fur and feathers.

* * *

><p>"Rarity!"<p>

Sweetie Belle broke through the crowd and jumped straight at her sister. Rarity answered with a cry of joy and a tight hug. As she did so, Sweetie Belle bumped against the saddlebags she was carrying. The clink of metal was unmistakable. "I missed you so much!" the filly said between sobs.

Rarity couldn't respond. She was crying too. Just being near the loved ones she once thought she'd never see again left her unable to speak coherently. She heard a meow and felt something furry rub against her legs. Before she could look down, however, she heard her name called out by another familiar voice. Her parents made it through the gathered ponies and joined their daughters in embrace.

After some time, Sweetie Belle finally noticed her older sister's saddlebags. She nudged them and heard the metallic jingling again. "What's this?" she asked. "Did you bring back some presents from the 'Barrier Lands' Princess Luna was talking about?"

"No, Sweetie Belle," Rarity replied, "that's actually-"

Before Rarity could finish, Sweetie Belle had opened the bag and lifted out one of the mage blades with her mouth. "What's this?" she asked, her words muffled from having to speak while her teeth clamped on the leather casing. "Some kind of knife?" The casing came loose slightly and her eyes fastened on the brilliant mana crystal embedded into the slender blade. "It's so pretty…" she said in awe. "Do they give one to anypony who joins the Legion?"

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity admonished, thankful that she had taken the time to sew up some leather sheathes for her mage blades. She lifted the weapon with her telekinesis, pulling it out of Sweetie Belle's mouth and then replacing it in her bag. She didn't miss the fact that Sweetie Belle knew of her joining the Legion.

"Can you put in a good word for me so I can join?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Certainly not! You're too young! Besides, joining the Legion is a life-long commitment. You can't just join to see if you'll get your cutie mark there and then leave…"

Rarity's voice trailed off. As she was speaking, she had caught sight of her boutique from a distance. She felt some relief at seeing that it wasn't on the verge of collapse or even in any state of disrepair. Some kind pony had apparently maintained it while she was away. It was a nice sentiment, a little unnecessary, but she certainly appreciated the gesture. She looked to her sister and her parents. They were probably the ones responsible. The beautifully constructed house, her personal design, beckoned tantalizingly for her to go back to her business. But she remembered what she was saying just now.

"Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked in concern. "Are you alright?"

Her younger sister's voice jolted Rarity out of her melancholic thoughts. "I'm fine, dear," she replied. "Let's not talk about the Legion for a while, okay? How have you been?"

* * *

><p>Applebloom had not been far behind Sweetie Belle when the crowd parted a bit. She raced straight towards Applejack. The other Apples were making their way through the crowd as well. In Big Macintosh's excitement, he bowled over a few ponies who were too slow in getting out of his way.<p>

Applebloom reached Applejack first, jumping up and then wrapping her forelegs around her older sister's neck. Big Macintosh came up and then swept both of them up in his forelegs in a crushingly tight embrace. "AJ!" the stallion cried out joyously, his eyes already watery.

"Hey, big brother," Applejack said as soon as she had managed to loosen Big Macintosh's grip a little to keep him from choking her. She closed her eyes returned her siblings' embraces with one of her own, enjoying the familiar warmth and the scent of home.

"You missed the harvest, young'un!" Granny Smith said in a mock stern tone.

Applejack's lips split into a wide, sheepish grin when she heard it. "Sorry, granny," she replied. "I'll make it up to you somehow."

"You darn tootin' you will!" Granny Smith walked over and then gave Applejack a hug of her own once Big Macintosh set both his sisters on the ground. Her forelegs were trembling and it was not just due to exertion. "Double the work for you once Winter Wrap Up and the spring planting starts!"

The grin all but disappeared on Applejack's face.

_"Go then. I'll give you a couple of weeks."_

"I'm sorry, granny…" Applejack said softly. "I'll be headin' out before spring gets here." Watching the joy on her siblings' faces wane at her words broke her heart.

"But why?" Applebloom asked angrily. "Ain't what you did for this Legion enough?"

"I'll take your place, AJ," Big Macintosh offered. "I can't let my little sister go out there and fight monsters for a living!"

"I can't just quit," Applejack replied. "I signed up for this and I ain't going back on my word." Her siblings looked even more downcast after that. She didn't bother mentioning that she couldn't even if she wanted to. Leaving the Legion was considered treason and she had plenty of opportunities to see what the Legion did to its traitors.

Granny Smith seemed unfazed. "Well then, let's make good use of your time here then. First of all, let's get you fed. Land's sakes, girl, what are they feeding you over that Legion you joined? I can see your ribs! And what's that chain you got wrapped around your neck? Some kind of fancy-pants, big city jewelry?"

"No, granny. It's some sort of magical lasso. Now that you mentioned it, I'd really like to talk to you about it…"

* * *

><p>Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down the moment she noticed everypony in Ponyville gathering around her and her friends. In her excitement she ran over to the crowd trying to hug as many ponies as possible. Several were happy to return the hug even if it meant being squeezed in with other ponies in her giant embrace. A few patted her back reluctantly, unsure if this was the same Pinkie Pie who had disappeared during that fateful day.<p>

"Pinkie!"

Pinkie whirled at the sound of her name being called. The Cakes stood at the edge of the crowd, unable to push their way in as Cup Cake was carrying their two foals. She jumped over several ponies and rolled under a few more to reach the two of them. "I missed you guys so much!" she exclaimed and then drew both of them in a hug. She then focused on Pumpkin and Pound Cake. "Especially you two," she said affectionately, playing with their forelegs as she did so. "You've grown since the last time!"

Both foals cooed with delight and happily grasped at Pinkie's front hooves. Pumpkin Cake noticed Pinkie Pie's saddle bags gave it a curious look. Before anypony could notice, her horn began to glow and the bag's front flap opened. By the time Pinkie Pie noticed what she was up to, the bag's content was already beginning to float out. "Oh no!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Pumpkin don't-!"

Pumpkin Cake had telekinetically lifted a strange stone tablet from Pinkie's bag. It was covered in strange markings and gems. All of a sudden, the gems glowed briefly and sparked. The magical glow around the tablet disappeared, causing it to fall inside the bag again. Pumpkin Pie cried out in pain and grasped her horn. Her eyes watered and she started to cry loudly.

"Oh no…" Pinkie said worriedly. "I'm so sorry, Pumpkin Cake, I should have stopped you faster."

Cup Cake inspected her daughter worriedly, taking a look at the foal's horn. When she could see anything wrong, she concentrated on comforting the crying foal. "There, there, Pumpkin, it's alright."

"What is that thing, you got there?" Carrot Cake asked in concern.

Pinkie lifted the piece of slate to show them and returned it to her saddlebag. "It's some weird device those weird 'True Earth Ponies' gave to me before I came back here," she said. "They said it would help me with something…" Her mind went back to that odd meeting she had with the True Earth Ponies just before she went to the audience hall to meet up with her friends and go home.

_"Legionnaire Pinkie Pie."_

_Pinkie turned at the sound of somepony calling her. She found herself staring at the two ponies she had met earlier during the march to FangBreaker Fortress. "Oh, it's you 'True Earth Ponies' again!' she said cheerily. Even as she did so, however, she backed up a step. Sharpfangs and his wife, Tailwind, didn't like these ponies and, the truth be told, they were a little scary. Still, suddenly running off when it looked like they only wanted to talk would be rude._

_The pony in the funny-looking stone pony mask turned toward his younger companion and said something. The younger stallion listened intently and then shifted his attention to Pinkie Pie. "We did not get a chance to properly converse the other day, Legionnaire Pinkie Pie," he said. "We would like to correct that."_

_"Huh?"_

_The younger stallion looked taken aback. He paused for a while and then tried again. "We would like to speak with you," he said._

_"But you're speaking to me right now!"_

_The masked stallion leaned over to whisper again and then handed something to the younger stallion. Pinkie recognized the object. It was the same piece of slate she had seen with the two during their last meeting. "Please take this," the younger stallion said. He handed the bejeweled slate to Pinkie, who took it as if it might turn into a snake and bite her if she wasn't careful._

_"Uh…thanks? What do I do with this though?" Pinkie tried to make sense of all the markings. When that didn't work, she tried pressing on the gems. As a last resort, she bit into the stone. Except for hurting her jaw, she accomplished nothing with the strange piece of slate._

_At the sight of Pinkie trying to eat the slate, the younger stallion nearly panicked and stepped forward. The masked stallion held him back and whispered something else. "When you begin to channel ley energy instinctively, the device will react," the younger stallion explained. "Once it does, you will learn much from just observing it. We are confident that, once you notice this, you will seek us out to learn more."_

_"Okey dokey lokey," Pinkie replied. She had thought that these strange ponies would ask her to do something that her friends wouldn't approve of but carrying a piece of stone around sounded reasonable. Besides, these two mentioned "channeling ley energy" again. She had no idea what that meant, but from what Cold Forged had mentioned earlier, it might be some form of useful magic. The prospect of having something useful during an emergency was too good to pass up._

_"One more thing," the younger stallion added._

_"What is it?"_

_"We are aware that you are good friends with a pair of goats,"_

_"Goats? I don't recall meeting any goats in these lands."_

_"We mean the purple one and the white one who marched with you after we last spoke."_

_"Purple one and white one marching with me…you mean Twilight and Rarity? Oh, you silly! They're not goats!"_

_The younger stallion frowned at this while the masked one shifted slightly. "Regardless, make sure that they do not try to use their magic on the device. It will react badly."_

_"Okey dokey lokey!"_

Pinkie looked apologetically at the Cakes for making their foal cry. "I'm sorry," she said. "I should have put my bags away first."

"That thing looks dangerous," Carrot Cake said. "Maybe you should just get rid of it."

Pinkie looked at her saddlebag and considered it. Maybe she should just get rid of this stone. It hurt ponies and it might continue to do so. She suddenly remembered the fight in Bastion City again, cringing behind Twilight and wishing that all her friends would be fine… "Sorry," she said. "I think I still need it."

* * *

><p>While her friends got swarmed by ponies, Rainbow Dash took to the air, barely dodging a large flock of birds and other flying creatures that were heading for Fluttershy. She had missed Ponyville and she had missed everypony who lived in it. But, somehow, she couldn't bring herself to go among them and try to reconnect with her home. She should be glad to have this break. Instead, she felt agitated and restless. Home was important, but she just felt that it just wasn't the right time. It was as if she was in the middle of a sporting competition and then asked to sit it out so she could relax. The sense of urgency just wouldn't go away not matter how much she tried to convince herself to calm down.<p>

"Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow looked down and spotted a small, orange-coated pegasus filly standing directly beneath her. Scootaloo looked up at her happily and expectantly. Despite herself, Rainbow flew down and landed. "Hey, pipsqueak," she said. "How've you been?"

"Things got really boring here without you around! I'm so glad you're back!"

"Well, don't get used to it, I'll be flying off in a couple of weeks!"

Scootaloo saddened at this, but she quickly perked up again. "Princess Luna said that you joined the Legion. Is it great being in the Legion, huh?" She hopped up and down in excitement.

"It sure is! You get to fight for Equestria's sake, fly into battle and shoot at the bad guys! It's pretty awesome!"

"Wow! Is it more awesome than joining the Wonderbolts?"

Rainbow halted dead in her tracks. Joining the Wonderbolts…that was her life-long dream when she stayed in the Heartland. All the training and practicing was so she could join that team of elite flyers. Yet, all that training and practicing now felt like a long dream and reality had just caught up with her. She suddenly realized that, even if she wanted to join the Wonderbolts now, it was probably impossible. She knew a lot about the Legion's draft, probably more than any of her friends after asking around about it in her flight. The Wonderbolts were Equestria's best flyers. They were likely going to be absorbed into the Legion like the Royal Guard once drafting began. Logistics would break them up and divide them among the various flights.

"Y-yeah…" Rainbow answered with barely a fraction of the enthusiasm she had a few moments ago. "It is. The Wonderbolts are awesome and all, but they focus more on air shows and racing. The Legion gets up to a lot of hardcore stuff."

"Awesome! I should really join the Legion then!"

"Hey, wait! You can't!"

"Why not? You just said it was awesome and Princess Luna said that they were looking for members."

"It's also really dangerous. A lot of bad things can happen to you!" Memories flashed through Rainbow's mind: a giant wolf's paw slamming into her, a bloody Applejack lying motionless on the snow-covered ground…"A lot of bad stuff," she reiterated.

"You just said the Legion was awesome. Now it's bad?"

"It is awesome…and bad stuff happens and…" Rainbow shook her head and began to hover. "Sorry, Scootaloo, I uh…I need to think alone." She flew off in a hurry, leaving her friends and everypony else to take shelter in a cloud. It was a mistake to come back to this place. Out in FangBreaker, everything was clear and straightforward. She just needed get better at being a legionnaire, beat Scarlet, and then rise to the top of her flight. Coming back to the Heartland just muddled things up.

* * *

><p>While all her friends met up with loved ones, Twilight found herself dealing with the citizens of Ponyville in general. Somepony had mentioned that Spike wasn't around, making her remember that her assistant was still somewhere in the Western Barrier Land being tutored by a kirin. She wanted to head on to Canterlot so she could see her family, but she didn't want to go ahead of her friends.<p>

"Twilight Sparkle, is it true that you are a member of this 'Equestrian Legion'?" Mayor Mare asked.

"Yes, it's true," Twilight replied.

"Then you would know what they're really like!" somepony from the crowd said. "Can they be trusted? What do they really want?"

"The Legion seeks to protect Equestria," Twilight replied. She remembered that Princess Luna should have come here to allay their fears. That they were still asking these questions was worrisome. It meant that they have yet to completely trust the Princess of the Night despite the time she had spent here before. "They can be trusted," she said as reassuringly as possible.

"What about this Prince Terrato?"

"He's Princess Celestia's brother. He may be scary…and rude…and violent…and always in a bad mood…"

The crowd started to look even more worried as Twilight continued. She stopped herself, realizing what was going on. "But he means well," she finished with a sheepish grin. The crowd looked a little mollified, but not enough for her to feel sure about them. She looked up in time to see Rainbow Dash fly off.

All of a sudden, Twilight realized that this homecoming will have nothing to do with relaxation or reconnecting. She and her friends may have just come here to see the last vestiges of their old lives be consumed by the Legion. Night had completely settled by this time. The familiar lights of Ponyville did little to take the edge from her worry.


	13. The Royal Guard

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 13: The Royal Guard**

News of Prince Terrato's and Princess Celestia's arrival quickly spread throughout Canterlot. By morning, the city was abuzz with rumors. Nopony save for Princess Luna and the highest ranked among the Royal Guard had actually seen the two, but the prospect of finally having Princess Celestia address her subjects after her strange disappearance and edict was both reassuring and disconcerting. Likewise, the chance to meet this Prince Terrato, who had been alluded to in the edict and explained by the wandering Princess Luna.

With such important events centering on the capital, the Royal Guard found itself swamped with complications. Merely a few hours after Princess Celestia and Prince Terrato arrived, a small group of armed and armored ponies teleported into the palace as well. The prince explained that they were some of his legionnaires on an important mission. The royal guards were more than a little suspicious given that, the last time the palace witnessed the arrival of strange armed ponies, nearly a dozen of their stallions were killed. Now, with barely a clear explanation as to what happened that time, they were expected to work with these ponies.

Representatives of the two martial organizations met inside the planning room of the Royal Guard's barracks. The legionnaires had come unarmed as a show of good faith. The Royal Guard, however, had no shortage of spears. It was explained to them that the "legionnaires" that had previously attacked the palace in an attempt to steal the Elements of Harmony were mind-controlled agents of the new alicorn, Black Rose, and that these legionnaires were not of the same sort.

For Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor, it didn't help that the legionnaire he was talking to was covered in black armor from head to tail, that the eyes that stared out of the armored slits were a feral red or that the pony spoke in a growling, wolfish voice when he introduced himself as "Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion, Special Operations, Third Squad". Shining Armor accepted the offer of a hoofshake though. If there was going to be a breach in relations between Prince Terrato's guards and Princess Celestia's, it wasn't going to start with him or from his companion at the moment, Pegasus Guard Captain Bright Shield. "Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard, Unicorn Division," he replied. "This is Captain Bright Shield of the Pegasus Division. It's an honor to work with the ponies who defend our borders."

"The feeling is mutual towards the ponies who maintain order within the heart of Equestria," Vanguard said. He glanced at the other ponies lined up behind him. Shining Armor noticed that, while they all wore some barding, none were as heavily armored as this one. They remained completely expressionless except for one dark blue unicorn who looked at him a little too intensely. When she noticed him paying attention to her, a playful smile curved her lips. "The prince has ordered a few squads from Special Operations to work with the Royal Guard," Vanguard continued. "We are to update you on Equestria's enemies, especially Black Rose and her Thorns, assist with the merging between our two organizations, and ensure that the prince's address tomorrow will go smoothly. We'd appreciate it if you tell us about potential problem spots in this city for tomorrow's address."

"We're still unclear about how this 'merge' is supposed to happen," Bright Shield said. "From what Princess Luna has been saying, it seems that the Equestrian Legion will be absorbing the Royal Guard completely."

"That is correct," was Vanguard's answer.

"That's absurd!" Bright Shield said. "The Royal Guard has been protecting Equestria as an organization for centuries! Now you're just going to dissolve it into your group?"

"I'm not here to debate history with anypony, Captain Bright Shield. I have my orders from our prince and I'm sure you have your orders too."

Bright Shield gritted his teeth. The black armored pony was right, he did have his orders. Both princesses had already told the Royal Guard about their plans to merge the two groups. He had another retort, but a raised hoof from Shining Armor held him back. "You're fine with this?" he asked his fellow captain.

Shining Armor closed his eyes momentarily.

_"I will be fine here," Princess Celestia said once she entered her room. "Thank you, both of you."_

_Both Shining Armor and Bright Shield saluted and turned to leave._

_"Shining Armor!"_

_Shining Armor stopped when the princess called him back while Bright Shield kept on going."Yes, your highness?" he asked._

_Celestia trembled slightly from fatigue. "I'm sorry," she said. "What I did to your sister was wrong. Please, forgive me."_

_Shining Armor's lips twisted slightly, the only sign of the emotion that the princess stirred up. "I can't," he said. "Not yet, your highness."_

_"Shining Armor-!"_

_"It was hard enough to accept that you banished Twiley because she had done something wrong. Now, it turns out that you threw her into danger even when she hadn't. Not only that, I have to find out that you've been lying to me since the day I was born."_

_Celestia tried to take a step forward, stumbling as she did so, Shining Armor was by her side to offer support in a heartbeat. "I'm surprised you still show this much concern," she said weakly._

_"I swore an oath to serve when I took this position." Shining Armor's face softened a bit. "Just…give me some more time, your highness. I need to take this all in. I can't forgive you just yet."_

_"Thank you for that much."_

"No," Shining Armor replied when he opened his eyes again. He continued to stare Vanguard Clash as he spoke. "Not really, Bright Shield, but Captain Vanguard Clash is right. We have our orders and we're sworn to uphold them. The Royal Guard will cooperate with the Equestrian Legion."

"I must admit I was expecting a lot of resistance from the Royal Guard," Vanguard said. "Your cooperation is appreciated, Captain Shining Armor."

"But we'll do so with our eyes open," Shining Armor continued. "I'd like to know how the Legion deals with 'problem spots' before I share any information. Forgive me, but I was part of the clean up when some of your rogue troops attacked this palace."

"We will observe for the most part and leave any domestic issues with the Royal Guard," Vanguard replied. "We will act if we determine that Black Rose's agents are involved. Things should remain in simple arrests unless Black Rose decides to escalate matters."

"Good." Shining Armor felt a little reassured. He had been worried that the mere sight of these legionnaires enforcing the laws they knew would cause more unrest in Canterlot. "Now, about this Black Rose…"

Vanguard turned towards one of his companions, who handed him a sheaf of papers.

* * *

><p>The following day came about swiftly, far too swiftly for Luna. She doubted that a few hours of rest would be enough for her older sister, who walked the halls with her weakly. A part of her dearly wanted to postpone the event. Terrato had made no secret to her that he didn't like the ponies of Canterlot and it was quite likely that the ponies of Canterlot won't like him either. She envisioned a lot of things going wrong. If Canterlot's inhabitants refused to listen and started resisting, Terrato would certainly order the Legion to subdue them violently, if he didn't simply crush them all in anger.<p>

Yet, it was better to get this out of the way. The longer it took for them to address the ponies of Equestria, the longer the unrest would brew. She looked ahead and saw that Terrato was already waiting by the palace's entrance along with a contingent of royal guards. She looked around suspiciously, noting that not a single legionnaire was in sight. What had her brother put them up to?

"About time you got here," Terrato said. He looked towards the direction of Canterlot's main plaza where he and his sisters were to address the citizens of Celestia's capital. Even from where he was, he could see the ponies beginning to gather.

The three of them flew off together. Below, a few ponies still walking the streets gasped and pointed at them.

The plaza was abuzz with the worried chatter of ponies when the three reached it. On the ground, some royal guards blew their trumpets to signal their arrival. A hush fell upon the crowd as the three of them landed on an elevated platform. Luna observed the reactions closely. She saw shock, confusion and a great deal of fear. She listened to the whispers among them.

"Is that the Prince Terrato were kept hearing about?"

"He's so big! And his mane is on fire!"

"He's gray like a tombstone!"

"He looks angry, is he going to attack us?"

"Where is Princess Celestia?"

" Isn't she the one at the center?"

"That can't be! The princess's mane isn't pink!"

"But she looks every bit like the princess except for the mane. Didn't Princess Luna say that her powers were stolen by an enemy?"

"I don't know, she looks…smaller. Does losing their power make the princesses shrink?"

"Shush! She's about to speak!"

Standing so close to her sister, Luna could understand why the ponies of Canterlot even doubted that their princess had come back. Celestia had not changed in size at all. She seemed smaller because she lacked presence, something caused by two things at the moment: her loss of power and the prospect of finally facing her subjects for the first time after the division's end.

"My dear subjects…" Celestia began. She spoke through a microphone. Normally, this would not be necessary. The Royal Canterlot Voice was all it took to address a large crowd, but that required a degree of magic that the princess did not have to spare. This was not lost to the crowd, particularly the royal guards stationed around and among them. "Today will mark the beginning of a new period for Equestria. For more than a thousand years, I partitioned Equestria into two parts in a misguided attempt to protect ponykind."

Luna found herself breathless. Celestia had mentioned before that she had been too hasty in judgment, but this would be the first time ever that she would admit that the barrier was wrong. A single look at Terrato's face told her that he had noticed as well.

"That partition is over. My sister has already told you of the troubles that have been hidden from you for so long. I now stand here to confirm them."

There were no overt reactions from the crowd, but Luna could feel a collective sigh come from them. When she had spoken to them of the situation, they had listened earnestly and tried to understand, but she knew that part of them still hoped that whatever bad thing that was happening would blow over and they would not be needed. Celestia's words hammered in the reality that such a thing was not going to happen.

"Equestria needs your help, my little ponies," Celestia went on. "The Equestrian Legion, led by my brother, Terrato, has come here today for your support." She looked towards Terrato, who kept his eyes on the crowd.

"Don't believe her!" a stallion shouted from afar. Everypony's eyes went towards the one who spoke. By the edges of the plaza, a white unicorn stallion with a blond mane walked slowly towards the crowd. Luna recognized Blueblood, a rather annoying, but mostly harmless "Royal Nephew". From the way he was acting now, "harmless" might have to be reconsidered. "That's not Princess Celestia!" Blueblood continued to shout. "It doesn't even look like her!"

Luna heard a deep-throated growl come from her brother. She placed a hoof by his shoulder in response. "Big brother, please. No earthquakes or one of your 'surprise volcanoes'. This city is dangling by a cliff, remember?" she whispered.

Terrato let out a snort and relax. "I know," he said. He looked on disapprovingly as the gathered ponies listened to the upstart.

"The real Princess Celestia would never force us to join some army and go off to a land we've never seen!" Blueblood continued to shout. "This one must be a fake being controlled by those two behind her!"

Luna stepped forward to reply to the accusation. "This is the real Princess Celestia!" she said. " I've already explained why she looks like this before!"

"A likely story!" Blueblood said with a sneer. "I never trusted your so-called conversion! This is a Nightmare Moon plot! She's trying to recruit us into her army!"

"I believe her," another pony said. This one didn't shout like Blueblood, but his voice carried clearly through the crowd. Everypony turned to look and found Captain Shining Armor standing next to a squad of unicorn royal guards by the opposite side of where Blueblood was. "I've been with the princesses long and often enough. I know the real Princess Celestia when I see her. In fact…" He turned his gaze towards Celestia. "She's more real now than she's ever been!"

"How can we trust you?" Blueblood asked. "Aren't you the same pony who was fooled by the changeling queen?"

"And thus the one who's even more vigilant than before!" Shining Armor shot back. "What's really going on here, Blueblood? Are you really doubtful of the princess's identity or are you that scared of the draft?"

"Who isn't afraid of the draft here?" Blueblood replied and looked all around him. "Who wants to be part of some army and work," he shuddered at the mere mentioned of the word, "for a prince they've never met?"

"I'd fight for Equestria!" a third pony shouted from the crowd. A light yellow stallion, still wearing the uniform of a café worker stepped up. "That's what it's all about right?" Several ponies next to him agreed."

"How can we be sure it's for Equestria and not the private army of Nightmare Moon?" Blueblood asked. Some of the nobles walked over to him as a show of agreement. "Why can't they just get the Royal Guard and leave us alone?"

"Nightmare Moon's long gone!" another pony shouted. "I'm siding with Captain Shining Armor! That's the real Princess Celestia and she really needs our help!"

The crowd erupted into a confused argument while the guards struggled to maintain control.

"I have a family to care for and a business to run! I can't join this Legion forever!"

"Equestria's in danger and we've been called to help! I say anypony who refuses to be drafted is a coward!"

"The nobles don't want to move their rears and help out! What can you expect from those hoity toity do-nothings?"

"Let the rabble join up! Surely their numbers will make up for all the ponies needed!"

"I still can't believe we've been lied to for so long! How do we even trust this Legion?"

A powerful boom, like the distant crack of thunder or a far away eruption, came from where the royals were standing. It rolled through the crowd and silenced them in an instant. Everypony turned towards the sound to find that the gray alicorn next to their princesses had clapped his front hooves together.

* * *

><p>Once he got the crowd's attention, Terrato glanced at his sisters and then stepped forward. "I am Prince Terrato of Equestria," he said. His words rumbled like a distant earthquake. Unlike his eldest sister, he had no problem projecting his voice. "It seems a lot of you have issues over not knowing who I am. There will be plenty of time to do that, given that I'm not going anywhere." His gaze swept over the crowd. Seeing them beginning to cower was an annoyance, but he kept his voice even. "For a long, long time I have protected this land from its enemies. If you have doubts, come forth and I will take you to see them for yourself." He paused, waiting for somepony to accept his offer. He could feel his sisters' nervous gaze on him during the silence. Nopony stepped forward, yet one more source of annoyance. He put on a smile when he continued. "I am glad, though, to meet all the ponies I have been defending for the first time. My sisters have done well in caring for you during their reign, regardless of a few mistakes we have made. A lot of you fear the Legion. I understand that. But what you should fear is what would happen if it falls. The Legion and I cannot protect Equestria by ourselves for much longer. Though it pains us to do so, we have to call upon all of you to do your part."<p>

Terrato paused again to let his words settle in. He could see many in the crowd whispering among themselves. He heard the doubts and the hesitation and decided that some changes had to happen on the spot. "I must also add that your service to the Legion need not be permanent," he continued. "All ponies recruited during the draft will be allowed to leave and go home once the worst has come to pass. Although, I am confident that plenty will stay once they see the necessity and nobility of the Legion's work." Terrato glanced at his sisters and relished the surprise on their faces before going on. "I am asking for a lot of things from all of Equestria now. I ask for your cooperation for we will all fall without it. I ask for your forgiveness, your rulers have made grave mistakes and continue to pay for it. Most of all, I ask for your courage, the future ahead is dark, but we can go through this together."

The crowd was silent after that. No more whisperings among themselves this time. "Count me in!" somepony from the crowd shouted. Others quickly picked up on it and yelled their agreement. The crowd came to life with determined cries.

Luna stepped closer towards her brother. "See?" she said. "Not so full of fops after all."

"Maybe," Terrato said grimly. He continued to stare and noticed the ponies not so eager to join. Many nobles bunched together around Blueblood and stared at the crowd in horror. While his sister saw the crowd's willingness, he saw the pockets of resistance. Small groups of ponies were trying to get away from the crowd and fall back to their homes or, perhaps, to get away from the city itself. That wasn't going to work, he had already scattered his eyes and ears throughout the city's potential hiding places and exits. It shouldn't be hard with the Royal Guard's cooperation.

"You surprised me," Luna said. "I read from your laws that joining the Legion was permanent."

"The old rules don't cut it anymore," Terrato said. "These ponies need hope. They need to see their joining as a service they have to give for now, not a fate they are irrevocably condemned to."

"Will the same be true for the Elements of Harmony?"

Terrato let out a snort. "They weren't drafted, they joined up on their own even though we discouraged them. I'll have to think about it more. I'm off for now, little sister, I have to coordinate with the legionnaires waiting to enter the cities and I need to have a strict hoof on these things."

"Of course, big brother."

With a flap of his wings, Terrato took to the air.

* * *

><p>After the address had finished, the two princesses stayed to talk with the ponies on a more personal level. Luna had feared that the Heartland's ponies would be resentful and angry, that they would demand some sort of physical punishment for Celestia or even demand that she step down from her throne. It was likely that the very nature of the Heartland was what kept either from happening. Heartland ponies did not believe in swift and merciless vindication in the same way the ponies of the Barrier Lands did. Punishments were rare and they were certainly not turned into public events like Terrato's executions. It was also likely because these ponies had spent so long in Celestia's benevolent rule that they could not imagine what their life would be outside it.<p>

Whatever the reason, the ponies that approached Celestia were not of the vengeful or angry sort and Luna was glad for it. Having the ponies of the Heartland turn on her now would simply break Celestia's heart. Instead, they showed concern over the princess's loss of power and promised their support. Terrato would have called them naïve, but their naiveté was going to help now more than any sense of worldliness.

Unfortunately, that wasn't likely going to be the case each and every time in the Heartland. It wasn't even so here in Canterlot. Luna looked to the far side of the plaza where the Royal Guard was dealing with a group of nobles led by Blueblood. She wished that they were an isolated case, but they were likely only the first of several.

* * *

><p>"No!" Blueblood said haughtily. "I refuse to join! I am a prince of Equestria and I will not be reduced to working with common soldiery!"<p>

Several of the royal guards scowled and stepped forward, but they were stopped by one of their captains. Shining Armor shared in his ponies' desire to show Blueblood that he was talking to "common soldiery" at the moment and they didn't appreciate his tone, but he kept his feelings aside for now. "Nopony's asking for your permission, Blueblood," he said. "The draft is mandatory and you're going to represent your family."

"Is there no way at all to avoid this 'draft'?" another noble asked. "Perhaps we can hire somepony to go in our place. Maybe a generous donation to the right pony?"

"I'm going to ignore that you just asked if you can bribe somepony," Bright Shield replied. He had allowed a hint of anger to creep into his voice. "The answer to your other question is no. Everypony will do his or her part. You can't hire somepony to do your part for you. For now, we ask that all of you return to your homes and wait for the actual draft. Don't try to skip out of this, the penalties are stiff."

Most of the nobles left, nearly all of them deflated by the response. Blueblood stayed however. "I am still royalty," he insisted. "If money won't exempt from the draft, blood will."

Shining Armor grabbed Blueblood by the lapels and forced the stallion to look at Celestia. "This crisis has taken from Princess Celestia herself," he said angrily. "What makes you think her nephew's going to get an exemption? Go home, Blueblood. We may be related, but I'll personally throw you into the dungeon if you cause any trouble!" He let go of Blueblood, who stumbled and fell on his rear before running off.

"That's not the last we'll hear from him," Bright Shield said as he watched the prince run off. While the rest of the guards went back to their assigned posts, Bright Shield and Shining Armor walked back to the barracks. The legionnaires from earlier had asked for a few strange things: the location of the Coldhorn the Watcher wing, which was really just a small, obscure room deep within the library where nopony goes, the location of Skymirror Lake, which was in the middle of changeling territory, and the location of Everfree Castle. They refused to explain why save for mentioning that it involved Black Rose, the pony who stole Princess Celestia's power.

Shining Armor pulled out the sheaf of papers that the legionnaires provided him with as he walked on.

_Blue Moon - unicorn mage and leader of The Thorns. Specializes in Abjuration magic. Known best for his part in the Battle for Sharpstone Bridge where he held off an ursan army by himself for two days. Currently under custody._

_Lion Court - unicorn mage. Served as a diplomat and spy. Credited with two hundred kills from formal duels. Specializes in mind-affecting magic and uses the extremely rare skill of mage-blade wielding._

_Longstride - pegasus sniper. Armed with a magical bow with line-of-sight range._

_Sablesteel - pegasus infiltrator. Uses a variety of poisons and extremely dangerous in close range. Stealthiest of The Thorns._

_Rhapsody - earth pony bard. Plays "Warsinger" a dangerous magical instrument that tears into the enemy's nerves. Believed to be still dead. Black Rose is looking for a replacement._

_Frenzy Heart -earth pony berserker. Wields a giant stone blade, a True Earth Pony heirloom, with ease. Also believed to be still dead._

Equestria's enemies appeared daunting from just reading the information about them. He had to steel himself for facing them for real. He read the descriptions, but they weren't what made him worry.

"That was some standing up you did for the princess," Bright Shield said. "You're really all in for this Legion huh? What did they do to impress you?"

"Nothing," Shining Armor replied. "All I know is that Twiley believed in these ponies enough to be banished for them. That's good enough for me."

They turned one corner and passed by a group of ponies arguing among themselves about the earlier address.

"Legion aside, you never told me how your honeymoon went," Bright Shield said.

"You're right, I never did," Shining Armor replied with a smile.

After a moment of silence, Bright Shield grinned. "Oh, that's how it is, eh?"

"Maybe if you finally marry Sky Piercer, we can swap stories."

"As if that's going to happen. That mare's going to tease me forever!"

Shining Armor chuckled in response. They walked on silence for a while until Bright Shield spoke again.

"You know, at the risk of sounding bloodthirsty, part of me is actually glad about all these recent revelations."

"Why's that?"

"It's just a little comforting to know that there's more to this job than guarding tea parties or dealing with the rare attack that will be resolved without our help anyway."

"Be careful what you wish for, Bright Shield."

"I don't have to wish for it. It's happening anyway."

The two of them stopped in front of the barracks. "Well, Bright Shield," Shining Armor told his fellow captain. "The Guard's chance to really shine has just come."


	14. Heroic Strangers

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 14: Heroic Strangers**

The day after she and her friends returned to Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle found herself standing alone inside the library. She had taken looked around to see if the village's library had been taken care of in her absence. At first, it appeared that everything was neat and in order. It seemed that somepony had taken over the library's maintenance after she had gone and had done a good enough job.

Closer inspection, however, left Twilight nearly wide-eyed in horror. The library may be neat, but the shelving was in complete chaos: Classics mixing with History, Fiction with Non-Fiction…it was a disaster hiding under a veneer of order. She grabbed hold of every book in sight with her telekinesis and dropped them on the floor impulsively. "Spike!" she called out. "Get down here and help-!" She stopped herself. There was no baby dragon sleeping upstairs who would wake up and assist her. Spike was somewhere in the Western Barrier Lands training under some kirin called Seethe Scale. Though Twilight had agreed because Spike had felt so strongly about it, she still wasn't fine with the decision. Spike had tried something like that before and he gained nothing from being around dragons. Why would being around a half-dragon be any different?

Remembering Spike's absence only served to make the library seem even emptier. Twilight considered setting aside re-shelving by herself and going over to see her friends. However, Applejack and Rarity were likely spending time with their families. She would only feel like an intruder if she cut in on that time. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were also spending time with what were basically their adopted families.

That left Rainbow Dash. The sky blue pegasus looked uncomfortable all throughout yesterday. Perhaps she could use some company. Twilight replaced the books without any attention to their order and then prepared to head out. She paused for a moment when she opened the door and considered traveling to Canterlot to go to her family rather than insisting on staying in Ponyville. It would likely ease the loneliness she felt. Besides, today was Princess Celestia's and Prince Terrato's address. She could go there and help out.

Which might be exactly what Black Rose wanted.

Twilight peered outside her door, suddenly aware of an enemy she had nearly pushed to the sidelines because of Nightmare Moon and Pyre Valor. Black Rose was out there. It was a sun that she raised that now covered the village with its early morning rays. She could already have agents running around the Heartland this very moment. She might even be in the village in disguise. It would be so easy for her to abduct somepony and then replace him or her. Twilight now felt unprepared. She didn't even bring her mage-coat and none of her friends had come in barding. They were unprepared and surrounded by loved ones should an attack suddenly come.

Twilight shook her head and then headed on out. If she started thinking that, she would soon be suspecting everypony of being either Black Rose or a pawn of Black Rose. And all of this because the black "alicorn" had actually succeeded in making sunlight ominous.

* * *

><p>Morning always started with a hearty breakfast in Sweet Apple Acres and, with the harvest done and the first snow already beginning to fall, breakfast was heartier and livelier than ever. That was also due in no small part to the return of the Apple Family's lost daughter. Applejack sat at the center of a veritable feast of a breakfast. After the big dinner last night, she reminded herself to show a little restraint lest she find her barding a little hard to fit into by the time she returned to her duties.<p>

"…and then I tried again and a bunch of them actually fell!" Applebloom said excitedly. "Ain't that right, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup," the red stallion replied.

"I can't believe I wasn't around to see my little sister buck her first apple tree," Applejack said. "I'm mighty proud of you, Applebloom!" Applejack grinned and ruffled her sister's mane. She grabbed a slice of apple cobbler and finished it with a few swift bites, washing down the sweetness with a couple of gulps of cider. All the while, she was careful not to spill anything on the chain she still had wrapped around her neck. After weeks of D Grade Winter Moss and water, having so many apples in one sitting was utter paradise.

"Woah there, AJ, you're done?" Big Macintosh asked.

Applejack looked down her plate and realized that it was clean. Had she taken too little? No, she recalled filling it with food before settling down. "I, uh…" She considered filling the plate up again so she could keep pace with her family, but she was already feeling full. "I guess I am."

The others were barely halfway through their dishes. It was then that Applejack realized that she had been eating as she did back with the Legion; with a strict time limit and the platoon captain watching if they were delaying. She was chowing down her plate quickly and efficiently all throughout Applebloom's story and was done by the time her sister reached the end. She suddenly felt the need to start up a conversation as an excuse to remain at the table. "By the way, Granny, I was planning on looking through some of our family records for today," she said.

Granny Smith looked vacantly ahead of her for a while and then perked up. "Huh?" she asked. "Oh, records? You know where the family albums are."

"I was hoping we had ones that go back longer than those."

Granny Smith tapped her chin with a hoof for a while. "Longer than those huh? Just how long are you goin' back?"

Applejack thought carefully for a moment. Apple Slice was "The Last Great Apple" who stayed behind while the rest of the Apples moved into the Heartland. That would be around a thousand years or so. "About a thousand years back," she said. She felt her heart sink when she actually said the words. There was no way that they'd have records going back that far.

"Silly filly, we don't have albums that go back that far! They didn't have photos back then!"

Applejack lowered her gaze in disappointment.

"I think we have a bunch of scrolls that might have something. You know us Apples stay close to our roots and best way to do that's to make sure everypony's accounted for!"

Applejack brightened at that. "Great!" she said. "I really want to find out about somepony," she said.

"Well, I'll have you know that I know a lot about the Apples of old. Which one are you looking for?"

"A pony called Apple Slice."

Granny Smith nearly choked on a bit of apple when she heard the name. "Apple Slice, you say?" she asked when she had recovered.

"Do you know him, Granny?" Applejack asked eagerly.

"Who's this Apple Slice and why'd you want to find out so much about him, AJ?" Applebloom asked. Though Big Macintosh said nothing, he did look on curiously.

"Not personally of course," Granny Smith replied. "My great grandpa told me the story of Apple Slice and his great grandpa was the one who told him. It's an old, old story that one." With the siblings finished, Granny Smith led all of them to their living room where the old family albums were kept. She wandered around the room for a while and looked around aimlessly. "Now, where was that again…ponyfeathers, I keep forgetting…oh!" She began to fiddle with the wooden walls until one section slid to its side to reveal a small shelf-like space. She took out a few scrolls and laid them out on the floor. "Now, Apple Slice…Apple Slice…here we go!"

Applejack followed her grandmother's hoof as the old mare traced a path from one Apple to another. The scrolls were impressive. There had to be hundreds of Apples listed in there, each one connected to the rest like a branch from a massive apple tree. Eventually, she spotted Apple Slice. At once, she noticed two things: the first was that the name was quite close to the very beginning of this family tree, the second was that the name wasn't attached to anything.

"Here he is! 'The One Bad Apple' Apple Slice," Granny Smith said.

"Why is he just floating there?" Applebloom asked. "Ain't he related to anypony? How can he be an Apple and not be related to anypony?"

"And what do you mean by 'The One Bad Apple'?" Applejack added.

"I was just getting to that until you young'uns interrupted me! Now, like I was sayin' 'The One Bad Apple' Apple Slice lived a long, long time ago when the Apple Family was barely starting out. Even when he was colt, Apple Slice already stood out in all the wrong ways: he couldn't grow weeds even if he tried his best, animals hated him and he was just as bad at trying to trade or sell their harvest. His one good talent was that he was really good at lassoing things, but that didn't help much on account of the rest of the family not wanting him anywhere near animals he could lasso. Worst of all, Apple Slice was afflicted with one of the worst conditions that could fall on our family."

All three siblings leaned closer and held their breath. Granny Smith gave them a foreboding look in return and paused for dramatic effect.

"He was allergic to apples!"

Applebloom gasped and Big Macintosh shuddered. Even Applejack felt a twinge of horror at the thought of being unable to be anywhere near apples.

"It's true!" Granny Smith continued. "The poor stallion couldn't even touch a single peel without breaking out in hives. Now, being left out does strange things to a pony and Apple Slice was no exemption. He started to blame and hate the Apple Family for the things he couldn't do until, one day, he just went plumb crazy. According to his brother, Apple Peel, Apple Slice lassoed every apple tree he could find and ripped them from the ground, ruining that year's harvest. He then lassoed his family's house and tore it in half."

"He must be awful strong to do all that!" Applebloom remarked. Big Macintosh nodded in agreement.

"Or have a magic lasso…" Applejack mumbled.

"Did you say something, Applejack?" Granny Smith asked.

"No…nothing. What happened then?"

"Oh, he didn't stop there. Apple Slice turned on the family in a rampage. He even attacked his own pa, Apple Core." Granny Smith shook her head sadly. "Apple turning on Apple, ain't nuthin more tragic than that. After that, he disappeared, never to be seen again. For what he did, the family cast him out. His name appears on this scroll so everypony can remember that he existed, but he ain't connected to the tree 'cause of what he did."

Applejack tugged on the chain around her neck in disbelief. "But…but that doesn't make any sense!" Her expression brightened briefly. "Maybe there's more than one pony called Apple Slice. I mean, there can't be only one Apple Slice this long list of ponies right?"

"I don't know deary," Granny Smith replied. "After this Apple Slice, nopony in the family dared to name their foals with that name. It's a bad omen naming your foal after 'The One Bad Apple'."

"Why are you getting so upset, AJ?" Applebloom asked.

"It's because Apple Slice is supposed to be a hero! The Queen said that he died valiantly and that Crow Quill feller said that Apple Slice did something really nice for his ancestor so generations of his family made sure that Apple Slice's magic lasso returned to the Apple Family! In the Barrier Lands, they call him 'The Last Great Apple' because of all the heroic things he did! Wait, since the princess didn't want stories about Barrier Lands spreading through the Heartland, the Apples must have done some changing to it and-!"

Applejack paused when she felt that her siblings were watching her. She looked up and cringed when her family's eyes all widened.

"Apple Slice a hero?" Granny Smith asked.

"He had a magic lasso?" Applebloom added. She noticed the chain hanging by Applejack's neck. "Is that it? Is that the magic lasso that Crow Quill feller returned? Can I try it out?"

Before Applejack could reply, Big Macintosh broke in. "Hold on now, I don't know who this "Queen" is, but I think we Apples know our kin best. Even the bad ones." He looked at Applejack in disbelief. "Are you honestly going to believe some strangers from a far away land over your kin?"

"Well, I-!"

"And if that's his lasso around you like what Applebloom was asking about, I don't think you should be carrying it around," Big Macintosh added. "I reckon it might be cursed!"

Applejack put her hooves on the chain impulsively. "It ain't cursed!" she protested. "Why, it's mighty useful for what I'm doing in the Legion. Besides-"

"I still don't like it," Big Macintosh insisted. "Maybe you should keep it outside the house."

"I'm keeping it right where it is," Applejack said firmly. "Unless I should stay out of the house too?"

"Hey, now…" Granny Smith tried to say. "No need to get your manes ruffled up."

"Now I'm really starting to worry about you, AJ," Big Macintosh continued. "I don't like the thought of them Legion types looking up to somepony who abandoned his family as a hero. Maybe it ain't right for you to be around them."

"Now just wait a pony-picking minute here," Applejack said indignantly. "That ain't fair to the Legion, Big Macintosh!"

"What ain't fair is them thinking that 'The One Bad Apple' is 'The Last Great Apple' and making you fight for them for the rest of your life!"

"Nopony made me fight for them for the rest of my life," Applejack said between grit teeth. "I didn't get drafted, I joined up. The Legion does good work, Big Macintosh, just because it ain't about apples doesn't mean that it's bad. If a lot of ponies in the Legion think Apple Slice is a hero there has to be a good reason!"

"There ain't a reason good enough to-!"

"Stop!"

Both Applejack and Big Macintosh fell silent at the loud cry from their youngest sibling. Applebloom was in tears by the time they noticed her. "Stop fighting please!" she said between sniffles. "Applejack only has two weeks to be with us and I don't want to spend that time with the two of you being angry at each other!"

"Your sister's right, you two!" Granny Smith said sternly. "There ain't gonna be more Apples fighting each other in this house, you hear? Applejack, what are you crouching like that for?"

It was then that Applejack realized that she had instinctively fallen into a low stance. She had all her hooves on the floor, ready for a low charge to sweep the bigger enemy off his legs just like she was taught during training. She righted herself quickly and guiltily. "Hey…hey, there's no need to cry, Applebloom," she said soothingly. "Big Mac and I weren't really fighting. We were just…expressing our ideas really loudly. Ain't that right, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh replied. He moved closer to comfort the filly, giving the chain around Applejack's neck one more suspicious glance as he did so.

"I'm gonna take a walk," Applejack said quietly. "I need to cool off."

* * *

><p>The bolt flew from Rainbow Dash's crossbow and struck the makeshift bullseye just a couple of inches from the center. She clucked her tongue at the result, loaded another one and adjusted her aim.<p>

During this time of the morning, Rainbow Dash would normally still be fast asleep on a cloud around Ponyville. Normal times, however, had long since gone. Now, she was by herself in a clearing at the very edge of the Everfree Forest where she had set up a target and decided to just spend the morning practicing. She had been up almost at dawn, a habit she had to learn in Flight Dreadwing, and had proceeded to just wander around aimlessly through the skies of Ponyville. The back of her mind would not stop nagging her about how she should be glad to be back and that every minute of the two weeks she was given should be one heartwarming moment after another. The rest of her, however, seemed to be stuck on just waiting for the break to be over so she could get back to doing her part towards protecting Equestria. She had flown over to Sugar Cube Corner, Fluttershy's Cottage and even Carousel Boutique but, upon seeing her friends enjoying the time they had with their families, she couldn't bring herself to disturb them.

The second bolt flew straight on and struck much closer to the bullseye. With a grin, Rainbow loaded a third bolt. She was glad now that she decided to bring her crossbow along for the return home and hid it inside one of her saddlebags. Target practice wasn't much, but it helped ease her mind a bit. At least she felt as if she was moving towards something useful. She paused for a moment and looked back towards the direction of Ponyville and, once again, thought about seeing the friends she had left behind when she had been banished. She knew every pegasus in Ponyville and was friends with each one of them. It should be easy to strike up a conversation: talk about good old days, tell them about her adventures in the Northern Barrier Land and all the ponies and creatures she encountered there…

Yet she couldn't. Some kind of paralyzing apathy rooted her to the spot whenever she thought about doing that. Underneath the need to focus on the fights to come, she felt…tainted; unworthy of going back to a life that she had willfully abandoned for a life in the Legion. She remembered what she had told Applejack about candy-hoofed chosen. She also remembered that, during her entire time in the Northern Barrier Land, she had missed nothing. She hadn't even paused for a moment to think about missing her home here in between fighting, training and drinking. How could she now go back here and act like it was the most wonderful thing that had happened to her recently?

"Hey Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow easily recognized the enthusiastic greeting. Sure enough, Scootaloo was running towards her excitedly. How the pegasus filly had managed to find this spot was beyond her. "Hey, pipsqueak," she said.

"I was looking all over town for you! What are you doing all the way out here?"

Rainbow finished loading the bolt and aimed her crossbow at the target. "Just a little target practice," she replied. "Got to keep myself sharp you know." Scootaloo managed to hold still while Rainbow took aim and fired. The bolt struck much farther than the first shot. "Foal of a nag!" she groused.

"What was that?" Scootaloo asked.

Rainbow clapped a hoof over her mouth upon realizing what she had just said. "Nothing!" she said hastily. "Nothing at all! Say, pipsqueak, want to make yourself useful?"

"Sure Rainbow Dash! What do you want me to do?"

"Go pull those bolts out of the target will you?"

The orange pegasus filly galloped over to the target and did as she was asked while Rainbow watched quietly. Scootaloo… wasn't bad. She didn't feel any sort of aversion for the filly's presence. The constant admiration was actually a comfort. Yesterday, she had seen the hesitation on the faces of the other ponies from Ponyville when she and her friends arrived. There was gladness there, but she also saw the apprehension and knew that they were seen, not just as returning friends, but also as messengers of a war the village had been hearing about for some time.

It wasn't so for Scootaloo however. The pegasus filly still only looked at her as the same amazing Rainbow Dash. In fact, she probably saw the older pegasus as having become even more amazing for taking part in a war to protect Equestria.

Before Rainbow could continue to ponder that, however, Scootaloo had come back with the bolts grasped firmly with her teeth. Rainbow reloaded her weapon again and was about to take a shot when she looked at the filly with a smile. "Want to try?" she asked.

"Would I?" Scootaloo sang out.

Rainbow handed the younger pegasus the crossbow. As the weapon was still too big for Scootaloo, she stood behind the filly and held the weapon steady. "Alright," she said. "You just keep your shoulders relaxed, take aim and, when you're ready, pull the firing lever."

Scootaloo did as she was instructed and fired. Before Rainbow could see how the shot went, a sudden, familiar voice calling from behind them nearly made her drop the crossbow.

"What are you two doing?" Twilight asked as she approached the two. She looked disapprovingly at Rainbow Dash, who hastily took the crossbow away from Scootaloo.

"Hey, Twilight, what are you doing all the way out here?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight's expression softened a little as she turned her attention towards the orange pegasus. "Sorry, Scootaloo, I need to talk to Rainbow about something, mind playing somewhere else for a while? Preferably somewhere not so close to the Everfree Forest."

"But I-!" Scootaloo insisted, she looked to Rainbow for some support.

"Sorry, pipsqueak," Rainbow said with a sheepish grin. "I'll catch up with you later!"

Scootaloo kicked up a bit of dirt with a foreleg. "Oh, foal of a nag!" she said before running off.

"What?" Twilight looked at Scootaloo's distant figure first and then turned an indignant glare at her friend. "Rainbow Dash! What are you doing?"

"I didn't teach her that!" Rainbow said defensively. "I…uh…I accidentally said it and she picked it up on her own!"

Twilight shook her head in disappointment. "We're going to have a hard time getting her to unlearn that, if we can even do so. And if she spreads that to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle…"

The mere thought of Applejack and Rarity finding out made Rainbow cringe inwardly. She quickly changed the subject and made a mental note to talk to Scootaloo later. "Anyway," she said. "What about you, Twilight? Don't tell me that you were just taking a walk and found yourself all the way out here!"

"I was looking for you," Twilight replied flatly.

"And you found me. Now what?"

Twilight frowned slightly at Rainbow's flippant attitude before she went on. "You just looked really uncomfortable yesterday. Are you alright? How are you adjusting back here?"

"I'm not," Rainbow replied.

Twilight looked on with concern. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Aren't you glad to be back here?"

Rainbow shook her head. "The princess meant well when she asked the prince to send us here, Twilight, but I just don't think this is what we should be doing right now."

"This is our home, Rainbow!"

"I know that!" Rainbow snapped. "It's not like I haven't tried feeling great about coming back! It's just that…this place just doesn't feel like home anymore." She paced about trying to get her thoughts into the right words. "I mean, all our friends are still here, so are all the sights. I just don't understand what's missing. We spent about a month out in the Northern Barrier Land, how does a month change so much?"

"It may have been only a month," Twilight replied, "but we had to take in a lot during our time there. What's the matter, Rainbow? Didn't we join the legion to protect our home?"

"Did we?" Rainbow asked. "Tell me, if you had known that Princess Celestia would put down the barrier in a month and we wouldn't be banished anymore, would you have still joined the Legion?"

The question caught Twilight off-guard. "Well, I…"

"I was so sure that the Northern Barrier Land was going to be our new home," Rainbow went on. "I was even making fun of Applejack for not thinking that way! I don't know why but it was so easy to make that change…"

"Do you regret it now?" Twilight asked.

"Regret what?"

"Joining me in getting banished. You were the first to burst through those doors and tell the princess that you're going to be banished alongside me, remember? Was that a mistake now?"

Rainbow's eyes narrowed at the insinuation. "Not for a single minute," she replied, her voice steely. She sighed and relaxed before going on. "But the others…Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and even Fluttershy just looked so happy when they met up with their loved ones. I…I don't have that."

"I didn't have anypony specific waiting for me here either," Twilight replied.

"Then you'd understand how it feels, right? Or are you just waiting to get back to Canterlot before you get your heartwarming homecoming?"

It was Twilight's turn to sigh. "Yes and no," she said. "Of course I want to see my family again, but I think I also understand what you feel a bit." She paused for a bit to gather her thoughts while Rainbow looked at her curiously. "If you think about it, we haven't come back anywhere. In a few days, the Legion will be here and start drafting ponies. Now that we've found out about the Barrier Lands and the barrier is gone, that Ponyville we were hoping to go back to is long gone." Twilight's gaze turned towards the ground. "And I caused it," she added.

"So do you regret getting banished?" Rainbow asked.

"What for? It's done and I still think it was the right thing to do."

Rainbow noticed the lack of conviction. She knew from that tone that, while Twilight may believe that it was the right thing to do, there was still room there for regret. "So what do we do about it?" she asked.

The two of them became silent as the minutes rolled by. A cold breeze picked up and rustled through the nearby forest, making them shiver slightly.

"How about we pledge to protect this 'new' Ponyville?" Twilight suggested.

"Huh?"

"It's not so bad. So a lot of ponies will be leaving and a lot of changes will be arriving. It's still worth fighting for."

"That's all we have to do?"

"I don't think the princess just sent us back here to relax for a while," Twilight said wistfully. "We needed to be reminded of what we were protecting even if that something has changed. Maybe it's a way to get the Elements back and working properly."

"Maybe," Rainbow replied tentatively. She looked towards the direction of Ponyville. Perhaps there was something true in what Twilight was saying. She could reconcile her urgent need to get back to the fighting with a desire to make sure this place was safe. "I'll take that pledge," she said with a grin.

"What's this about a pledge?" somepony called out. The two of them looked to where it had come from and found Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie all walking towards them.

"What are you two going about here?" Applejack asked.

"I could ask the same of you, Applejack." Twilight replied.

"I got to walking for a while and decided to see how the others were doing," Applejack replied. "Then we saw Scootaloo and she told us about this place."

"The truth be told, I was also worried about how you were doing, Rainbow," Rarity said. Pinkie and Fluttershy nodded behind her. "You did look a bit upset."

"I'm feeling a little better now," Rainbow said. "Much better actually!" She laughed heartily as she continued. "I can't believe I had to drag all of you out here for that!"

The others followed suit and then came together. All around them, the wind continued to blow and fresh snow began to fall.


	15. For The Legion

**Upheaval : Reckoning**

**Chapter 15: For the Legion**

Six days had passed since Princess Celestia's and Prince Terrato's public address. Twilight had received news that, while there were a few things to worry about, it had proceeded smoothly enough. The past few days had been peaceful enough. She and her friends had done what they could to spend some time with friends and family, but she had also taken the time to keep up with news coming from Canterlot and other nearby cities.

It was the larger settlements that were the first on the Legion's list: Manehattan, Cloudsdale, Baltimare, Canterlot…the big cities with plenty of recruits to gain. It was only now that the Legion had started to pay attention to the smaller settlements and that included Ponyville.

Twilight watched as the first few squads of heavily barded earth ponies arrived. She had woken up early and started watching for them ever since news arrived yesterday that they coming. She wasn't alone as well. Applejack had thought of doing the exact same thing and stood next to her. "What's with the disappointed face?" she asked the earth pony.

Applejack looked on as more legionnaires arrived. The last of them had entered the village when she answered. "I was hoping Vanguard Clash would be with them," she said.

Hearing the name come from Applejack brought about a now familiar and annoying twinge inside Twilight. "That's completely ridiculous," she said. The tinge of harshness in her voice surprised even her. "He's Special Operations, not a recruiting officer, why would he come here?"

"To see us," Applejack replied. She kept her gaze on the legionnaires and got ready to interfere if something went out of hoof. Twilight bit back another harsh reply, berating herself for suddenly being so irritable.

There was something anticlimactic about the way the legionnaires entered Ponyville. There were no trumpets or even some kind of procession. A small group of armored ponies simply walked into town as if they were merely visitors. Indeed, it took some time before somepony realized that the draft had finally begun. Mayor Mare hurriedly arrived to greet the legionnaires while the rest of Ponyville gathered behind her.

"Greetings, ponies of the Equestrian Legion," Mayor Mare said. She had a prepared script with her, something that Twilight had helped with earlier. "Welcome to our fair village."

Twilight watched nervously as the lead legionnaire stepped forward. They were probably from the Western or Southern Barrier Land as she didn't recognize the barding. She and Applejack moved closer. She could see Rarity and the others amidst the crowd. They were also looking on.

"I am Recruiting Officer Mineshaft," the lead legionnaire replied. "Behind me are legionnaires from the Fourth Infantry Platoon of the Western Equestrian Legion. We greet you, citizens of Ponyville and we look forward to working with you in the fight for our realm."

Twilight realized that Mineshaft had replied to the prepared script with one of his own. 'I suppose I should be glad that he at least made a decent attempt at enthusiasm,' she thought.

"We request access to your registry list to determine who and how many we are expecting to draft," Mineshaft went on. "We are also going to set up here in your main plaza."

"Of course, sir, right away," Mayor Mare replied. She and her assistants trotted back to her office for the required documents.

Mineshaft turned his attention to all the ponies that had gathered. "All ponies expecting to be drafted and all volunteers should remain. The rest of you, please return to your daily business." As he was saying that, the rest of the legionnaires were already spreading out to surround the plaza. A few of them asked for chairs and tables while others were already organizing lines and herding out the ponies who were not expected to be recruited: colts, fillies and the elderly.

"Excuse me, Officer Mineshaft," Twilight said as she approached. The rest of her friends came with her.

"Yes, ma'am?" Mineshaft replied.

"Does this mean that all the ponies recruited here will be stationed at the Western Barrier Land?"

"That is correct."

That was another moment of relief for Twilight. She didn't know much of the other Barrier Lands besides the northern one, but she could expect the fighting there to be less intense. At least as long as the ursans didn't decide to launch their own major invasion. Mayor Mare returned with the registry list which Mineshaft promptly took. "Thank you, madam mayor," he said. "The Legion appreciates your cooperation." He looked over the list and then eyed Twilight curiously. "By the way, we received a memo that there are already chosen legionnaires currently staying here," he said. "Do you happen to know who they are?"

"That would be me and my friends," Twilight replied. "We're from the Northern Equestrian Legion." She proceeded to introduce herself and her friends.

"In the thick of the fighting, eh?" Mineshaft said after Twilight had finished. He looked glad to encounter fellow legionnaires while surrounded by chosen. "I can respect that. I understand that you're on some kind of leave at the moment, but we'd appreciate any assistance from you in dealing with the chosen."

Twilight nodded. She was actually hoping for that. If nothing else, she wanted to make this draft as easy as possible for her fellow villagers.

The legionnaires were already finishing setting up. By the time noon rolled around, the lines were already in place. Though she was glad that things were going smoothly, Twilight also felt some disappointment. She had held some belief that, once her fellow chosen understood the situation, at least some of them would join in on their own volition. Yet the looks on their faces were more resigned acceptance than any sort of enthusiasm. As she and her friends looked on from a distance, she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. She was now glad that Vanguard had not come. The legionnaires matched the resignation with emotionless, mechanical movements that were only a little better than outright hostility.

"They should really make this into a happy occasion," Pinkie Pie said. "Think of how much better recruitment would be if these legionnaires threw a 'Welcome to the Legion' party to celebrate all the new recruits!"

Twilight took note of the saddlebag that Pinkie Pie was wearing. Earlier, she had seen the pink pony pull out a piece of slate from the bag, fiddle with it for a while and then replace it.

"I don't think our friends and neighbors are in any mood for a party, Pinkie," Rarity said.

"They won't be if these legionnaires keep acting like grumps," Pinkie replied. "Can't they, at least, take off those champrons and smile?"

"I don't think the legionnaires are in any mood for that either," Fluttershy answered.

About an hour passed when a legionnaire approached Twilight's group. "Legionnaire Sparkle, we would like your assistance regarding a problem," he said.

"What happened?" Twilight asked as she and her friends followed.

"We've encountered some resistance with one of the chosen," the legionnaire replied. He led them to a house where several legionnaires were standing by the entrance along with a familiar mint-green unicorn. Twilight recognized Lyra and guessed as to who was the pony barricading the house.

"Open this door, Miss Bon Bon," one the legionnaires by the door said. "By unified Equestrian law, avoiding the draft is punishable by jail time!"

"Never!" a high-pitched voice responded from inside the house. "I don't want to go to some far off land and fight! Leave me alone!"

"Bon Bon, please come out," Lyra implored. "You'll only make things worse in there!"

There was no answer this time. The legionnaire that brought Twilight and her friends to the place turned towards them. "Maybe you can talk her into putting a stop to this tantrum and show up for the draft," he said. "Otherwise we're arresting her."

Twilight nodded and then stepped forward. She knocked on the door briefly before speaking. "Bon Bon, it's me, Twilight Sparkle," she began.

"Go away, Twilight Sparkle!" was the immediate reply.

"Bon Bon, the Legion needs your help…"

"They're not getting it! There are hundreds of ponies out there they could get, they don't need me!"

"Don't you care about protecting Equestria?" Twilight asked.

"I'm just one pony," Bon Bon answered. "I'm not a fighter! I don't have magic or great strength! What am I supposed to do against monsters? Please, just leave me alone!"

"Bon Bon-!"

"This is all your fault, Twilight Sparke!" Twilight could hear the quiver in Bon Bon's voice when she spoke as well as the sobs between the words. "Why couldn't you have just left things alone? Why couldn't you have just stayed banished to wherever you were? Everypony was happy! Why did you have to ruin everything?"

Twilight's gaze lowered. "I just…" she said softly.

Seeing that negotiations weren't going anywhere, one of the legionnaires stepped forward, planted his forelegs firmly on the ground, and then bucked at the door. Heavy metal tramplers smashed into the house's wooden entrance, breaking it in half and sending splinters scattering into the interior. Inside, Bon Bon gave a panicked yelp and tried to run farther into the house. The legionnaires quickly surrounded and restrained her, however.

"You're under arrest," one of the legionnaires said. With his fellows surrounding Bon Bon, he pushed her roughly and all of them moved forward. Tears streaming down her face, Bon Bon gave one last angry look at Twilight and then meekly followed.

"You're not going to hurt her, are you?" Lyra asked as the legionnaires walked past her.

"Our orders are to arrest anypony who tries to avoid the draft. Seeing as this village doesn't have a jail, we'll probably have to transfer her to the nearest city. Now, get to the plaza, Miss Heartstrings, you're on the list too." Seeing Lyra's worried face, however, made the legionnaire soften his tone. "We won't hurt her unless she makes us defend ourselves," he added.

"Coward," Rainbow muttered as Bon Bon was led away.

"Rainbow!" Applejack said. "It ain't that simple!"

Rarity put a concerned hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Are you alright, dear?" she asked. Her voice took on a reassuring tone as she continued. "Don't let what she said get to you. You did the right thing by going against the division."

"But is it really our fault?" Fluttershy asked softly. "Are we the ones who dragged Ponyville into war?"

"The war didn't need any help in bringing itself here," Rarity insisted. "It was going to happen eventually thanks to Black Rose's meddling. If there's anypony to be blamed it's her and all the creatures that are trying to invade Equestria!"

"We still had a part in it," Twilight said. "But you're right, Rarity." She watched as Lyra ran off to the plaza before the legionnaires decided to arrest her as well. "There's going to be more of these incidents and not just here in Ponyville."

It was afternoon by the time the draft in Ponyville was almost finished. Being primarily an earth pony settlement, it was no surprise that most of the recruits were earth ponies, but a few unicorns and pegasi had also joined up. Throughout the entire procedure, Twilight kept looking for at least one volunteer. She was disappointed right to the end. She didn't consider the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who, once again, tried to sign up only to be shooed away. "So what's going to happen to all the new recruits now?" she asked Mineshaft.

"We've got a large training camp already being set up just under Cloudsdale," Mineshaft replied. "They'll start their training there before being sent off to their new respective posts."

As Mineshaft was speaking, Twilight noticed a large, red stallion approaching the legionnaires. 'Big Macintosh," she thought. She noticed Applejack already moving to intercept the older Apple.

"Big Macintosh!" Applejack called out. "What are you doing here? You're not being drafted!"

Big Macintosh ignored his sister for a while and walked over to Mineshaft. "Sir," he said politely and firmly. "I'd like to replace Applejack in the Legion please."

"I already told you that it doesn't work that way!" Applejack said.

"I still got to try," Big Macintosh replied.

Mineshaft looked Big Macintosh over and then turned to one of the other legionnaires. "Scree Trail! Why aren't we drafting this big, strapping stallion?" he asked. "Just looking at him, I know he'll do well in Infantry!"

Scree Trail walked over and inspected Big Macintosh as well. "Which family are you from, stallion?" he asked.

"The Apple Family," Big Macintosh replied.

"Well, there you go," Scree Trail said. "It says here on this report that the Ponyville branch of the Apple Family is exempted from the draft. The Legion already has a member in the ranks."

"Well, that explains it," Mineshaft said. "We're not drafting you and the Legion doesn't do trades."

"But-!" Big Macintosh protested.

"Not just any legionnaire too!" Scree Trail went on. "It says here that she's a Special Operations Vice Captain!"

Mineshaft gave a low whistle. "A chosen in Special Operations that fast?" he remarked admiringly. "And from the Apple Family too. I'm tempted to think that it's the legend of Apple Slice all over again."

"Wait just a golldarn minute!" Applejack tried to protest, especially when she saw the look of horror that Big Macintosh gave her. "I'm not Special Operations! That report's made a mistake!"

"It's true," Twilight added. "We formed a squad under a Special Operations captain, but we weren't part of that group."

"Would you like to be anyway?" somepony said from a distance.

Everypony turned towards the newcomer. Applejack took one look at the dark blue unicorn mare with the curly mane and then shook her head. "Captain Nightcanter," she said awkwardly.

Behind Nightcanter were several ponies, likely all members of her squad and a few more. She walked towards the gathering of ponies and looked around. "So what do we have here?" she asked. She focused on Big Macintosh who was still staring at Applejack. "You looking to join the Legion, big boy?" she asked. "I can think of several uses for you. A few might actually involve fighting."

Applejack planted herself between Nightcanter and her older brother. "Why don't we just talk about why Special Operations is here?" she asked. Her tone was tense, but still respectful. Twilight agreed with the approach. Captain Nightcanter may often talk playfully, but she was still a high ranking pony, one who had defeated her in a sparring match before.

"I…I'll be back in the farm," Big Macintosh said. He looked confused at what he had just heard and seen. When he stepped back and turned around, he did so in a daze.

"Big Mac!" Applejack called out to him. "We'll talk about this later!" She pressed her lips together in frustration when he didn't respond as he trotted off. Of all the rotten luck, she had to be talking with a blabbermouth recruiting officer.

"So what is Special Operations doing in Ponyville, Captain Nightcanter?" Twilight asked. "Does it have something to do with us?"

"Not really," Nightcanter replied. She gestured for Mineshaft and his legionnaires to move on, an order that they promptly obeyed. She lowered her voice slightly. "We're here to set up a base of operations and then we're off to investigate the Everfree Forest. Maybe we can talk somewhere more private than the middle of a public plaza."

"The library is pretty empty," Twilight suggested.

* * *

><p>Several minutes later, Twilight found herself playing host to two squads of Special Operations legionnaires and her friends. She peered outside and then closed the curtains. Inside, she noticed Nightcanter cast a spell, temporarily engulfing everything in the tree-house in dark blue light. "Just something to make sure nopony's spying," Nightcanter explained.<p>

Most of the Special Operations ponies remained in the other reading rooms while Nightcanter sat at the center of Twilight and her friends. "So why do you need to go to Everfree Forest?" Twilight asked.

"Not the forest," Nightcanter explained. "Our destination is Everfree Castle. We've received information that it might hold what we need to finally get a grasp of Black Rose's plans."

"You mean the goal isn't even to defeat Black Rose?" Rainbow asked. "She's already stolen Princess Celestia's power and we're still just getting to know her?"

Nightcanter's eyes narrowed as she set both her forelegs on the table before resting her chin behind them. "Things aren't as simple as your rainbow-stained brain might take them to be," she said. "It's easy with the wolven or the ursans or the ophidites. They want to attack Equestria and the goal is to defend against them. We're in the dark with Black Rose here. We originally thought that she wanted to kill Princess Celestia, but she's not dead now is she? Our best lead is the one provided by her brother of all ponies. Special Operations is spread thin and clutching at straws so, yes, our current goal at the moment is to get to know her better."

"And you think that there's something in Everfree Castle that could help with that?" Rarity asked. "What could it be? It was empty the last time we got there and all we know is that it used to house the Elements of Harmony."

"You only scratched the surface during your last visit," Nightcanter replied. "We're going deeper than that. Thanks to what we found inside Canterlot's Great Library, we know that the castle is sitting on something even older."

"What's that?" Twilight asked breathlessly. She couldn't help but get a little excited at the prospect of new knowledge.

"The Last Refuge of Clover the Clever."

Twilight nearly felt her heart stop. "You're kidding," she said softly. She had to force the words out in her shock.

"How much do you know about Clover the Clever?" Nightcanter asked.

"She was Starswirl the Bearded's disciple and a great spell caster in her own right," Twilight answered eagerly. "She helped found Equestria during the Windigo Crisis along with several other ponies."

Nightcanter raised an eyebrow.

"What? That's not how Barrier Lands lore remembers it?"

"No. But it's not about Barrier Lands lore, it's about what we found in the hidden archives in the Great Library."

"There are hidden archives in the Great Library?" Twilight asked as her eyes lit up.

"Woah nelly," Applejack interrupted. "Let's focus here."

"Right," Nightcanter continued. "According to the sealed histories, the ponies before Lexarius's dominion migrated outward from The Blasphemous Rift. The Windigo Crisis prompted a move inward in a desperate attempt to survive."

"And then they discovered that the power of friendship and defeated the windigos," Twilight said. The term "Blasphemous Rift" concerned her. She made a mental note to find out more later.

The corners of Nightcanter's lips twitched a bit, but she controlled herself. "Well, they found something. I don't think it was friendship though." She grew serious as she went on. "Clover the Clever and her companions strayed very close to the Blasphemous Rift and managed to attune themselves to the lingering power of Oceanus. They used this power to destroy the windigos and claim Equestria."

It was Twilight's turn to settle down grimly. 'So much for Hearth's Warming Eve,' she thought. "What happened then?"

"While the rest of the ponykind settled the land, Clover and her companions delved deeper into utilizing the power of Oceanus. They built a great capital city around the rift dedicated to further attuning all of ponykind to their progenitor. A lot of bad things were committed during those times, several books worth in fact."

Nightcanter paused for a moment and then massaged her throat. "Say you don't happen to have some booze in this library do you?" she asked.

"No booze," Twilight replied. "I'll get you some water." Once she set down a glass of water for the dark blue unicorn, she spoke in a grim tone. "Was Starswirl the Bearded attuned to Oceanus too?"

"Starswirl the Bearded died of sickness immediately after the discovery of Oceanus and the Blasphemous Rift," Nightcanter replied. "At least that's what the records say," she added with a sly smile. After several gulps of water, she went on. "It was at this point that Lexarius interfered. He arrived in this world and rallied every pony who was horrified with what Clover and her companions were up to in their capital. To our race's credit, there were a lot of them. With his army, he met the Oceanites in the battlefield and annihilated them, reducing their mighty city into a rubble-filled crater and then teaming up with his fellow stewards to seal the Blasphemous Rift for good."

"Of course that wasn't the end," Rarity said. "You wouldn't be here if that was the end."

"Of course not. Clover the Clever survived and fled into where the Everfree Forest is now. She went into hiding and spent the rest of her life trying to find a way to undo the seals and reach Oceanus's power. The sealed histories say that she came up with a way to siphon power from the Eternal Herd to accomplish that but…"

"..but what?" Twilight asked impatiently.

"She didn't get to use it. Lexarius found her and intercepted her. That was the end of Clover the Too-Clever-For-Her-Own-Good. Lexarius then sealed away her last refuge. Centuries later, Princess Celestia built Everfree Castle over it for extra protection."

"Why didn't they just destroy it?" Rainbow asked.

"Clover stored a lot of power in that refuge in order to hide and protect it. That power was distilled from remains of her former companions and the last traces of the Blasphemous Rift she could gather. Destroying the refuge would have spread that power all over Equestria. Who knows what effect it could have?"

"So why go there now?" Twilight asked.

"Black Rose plans to get into the Blasphemous Rift. She'll need a way how and whatever's in that refuge is a good lead."

"She's been on the move for a while now," Twilight said in frustration. "She may have already gone there and taken anything useful."

"Maybe. She doesn't have free access to the information we just got like we have. The prince is sure that what she learned from the Library of Lexarius only has vague clues about the sealed histories, which hadn't been disturbed when we got to them. She still needs a means to complete her goals. We just might get the jump on Black Rose this time. At the very least, we can actually be on her trail instead of floundering around."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Rainbow asked. "Let's go!"

"Hold on there, RD," Applejack said. "This ain't our mission. It's Captain Nightcanter's."

"You'll need help, right?" Twilight asked.

"We could use some assistance navigating the forest," Nightcanter replied.

"We can help with that," Twilight said. "We'd like to go into the castle with you as well."

Nightcanter paused again. "You know...Vanguard asked me not to bother you mares on your vacation..." she said. She smiled the same sort of smile that made both Twilight and Applejack shudder. "But why not? It sounds like fun."


	16. Triumvirate

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 16: Triumvirate**

From her room in the Royal Palace, Princess Luna watched with a mixture of satisfaction and apprehension as a group of legionnaires made their way through the streets of Canterlot. It had been six days since her siblings' public address and reunification was finally on its way. She could only dream about it as recently as a couple of months ago. Now, it was beginning. She glanced at the piles of reports by her desk and smiled wearily. Just a few months ago, her only duty seemed to be raising and lowering the moon as well occasionally mingling with her subjects. Now, she was up to her neck in reports.

Luna walked over to the most important pile: the one which contained the medical reports. As early as before she even left the Barrier Lands for the Heartland, Terrato had discussed the health of both his legionnaires and the chosen with her. Though the Legion had strict health practices, especially down south where spreading plagues was an ophidite fixation, her brother suspected that many legionnaires still carried some disease or another that didn't affect them anymore. Once they reach the populated areas in the Heartland, these diseases could run rampant among the ponies who never had to deal with them before. _"Take as many unicorns from both realms as you need,"_ he had said. She indeed took plenty. She had to teach all these unicorns some cleansing and resistance boosting spells. It certainly didn't help that healing magic in Equestria had suffered because of her time in the moon. Every single legionnaire had to be magically inoculated and cleansed before stepping anywhere near a Heartland settlement. Even then, reports of legionnaires falling sick with Cutie Pox, which they called "Chosen Disease", and chosen coming down with cases of Hiderot trickled in.

Luna read through every gristly detail with each report and mentally noted the necessary spells she was going to have to teach her new division. She glanced occasionally at the pile of reports she wanted to read. She knew about the Special Operations ponies that her brother had brought along with him. When she saw them reporting to him, she had made a request of them: send her some reports on how the interactions between the Barrier Lands and Heartland ponies went. It didn't have to be formal or extensive, she just wanted to hear the initial thoughts that the legionnaires had of their long lost brethren. She had found some time yesterday and saw that most of the initial reactions had been good. She remembered a particularly interesting one about the first arrivals to this very city.

When the first legionnaire recruiters entered the city of Canterlot three days after the public address, the first thing they noticed was the strange manner by which it had been built. The Heartland's capital city hugged the sheer cliffs of Mount Unicornia. The effect was a truly grandiose sight that served as a gigantic testament to unicorn aesthetics: tall and stately towers, pristine white walls, luxurious amenities, and a touch of fancy over practicality. The earth ponies and pegasi legionnaires were quick to agree that Canterlot must have been designed by a unicorn's unicorn: a stallion or mare who weighed the danger of plummeting down the sheer face of a cliff against visual appeal, then decided that visual appeal mattered more.

Comparisons to Arcanotropolis, Canterlot's equivalent in the Barrier Lands, were inevitably made. Even the unicorn magi had to agree that Canterlot was grander and better maintained. They added, however, that Canterlot had no Grand Arena like Arcanotropolis had and likely did not have a tradition as wonderful as the annual Mage Battle tournaments. They also added that Canterlot served as Princess Celestia's choice of dwelling, which clearly added to its importance. That translated to better funding. It likely also served as the reason why no earthquakes had touched the city. Arcanotropolis, on the other hoof, was not the capital of the Barrier Lands. That honor belonged to the Great Delve, which was primarily an earth pony city. The mention of the Barrier Lands capital piqued Luna's interest. She hadn't found the time or excuse to see what kind of capital city her brother had and how he managed it.

While she had yet to lay eyes on the Great Delve, Luna did get to see some of her brother's management. Barrier Lands ponies were now trickling into the Heartland as fast as her medical divisions could get to work on them. Not all of them were legionnaires: craftsponies, engineers, even scholars were already on the move to integrate Barrier Lands and Heartland technology into a unified whole. Terrato also gave them the same stern warning he gave to the Legion: any abuse heaped on the chosen will be considered sabotaging the reunification effort and will be treated as treason.

The movement wasn't one-sided either. Terrato had asked Celestia to pick out "ponies of integrity and influence" among the chosen to be brought to the various Barrier Lands so they can assess the situation there. It was his hope that these ponies would see the danger and speak out among their fellows, allowing for a smoother reunification. That was Luna's hope too. That and that the chosen would not suspect that the frightening and stern alicorn had sent these ponies to a far off land, killed them, then replaced them with clones. When her brother later added that he wanted Prince Blueblood among those ponies, even she had to be suspicious.

_"I like that one,"_ Terrato had said. _"His mouth says he's a coward, but the rest of him says otherwise. He should see the truth as I want him on my side."_

Terrato had also made good on his promise to Luna. Just two days ago, he had his high command meet through magical projections, then had them acknowledge the authority of his sisters. Luna could tell that some of the commanders were uncomfortable with this decision which was what she had predicted. Still, she now had a grip on the Legion and planned on making good use of it. In that same meeting, Terrato also gave more specifics on his plan with the draft. All draftees were required to serve for a minimum of four years and would be allowed to go home if that was what they wanted. They were to be held in reserve and sent to the rear lines until they racked up some experience. He had done all of this while he managed the Legion still in the Barrier Lands. FangBreaker Fortress still had to be converted to a proper launching point for an offensive. Great amounts of resources and a lot more ponies also had to be transported.

As for Celestia…their eldest had her own duties. She continued to speak with the chosen, reassuring them that times will get better. Luna knew that their brother would be content with just having Celestia rest, but she would have none of it. There were problems to be dealt with and the two of them weren't enough to take care of everything.

First, there was the money problem. Incidents had arisen where legionnaires would attempt to buy something with Barrier Lands bits only to have the chosen storeowner refuse to accept it. The legionnaires took it as mocking Terrato's authority and reacted violently. A new form of currency had to be adapted by a reunified Equestria. At the very least, values had to be assigned so money changers could get to work. Celestia had elected to deal with the matter.

Then there was the growing booze problem.

Alcohol was not a complete unknown in the Heartland. It just happened to be a very scarce commodity for a very small fraction of the population. Sweet Apple Acres, for one, produced about a small crate or two of applejack each harvest time to be shipped to Canterlot and sold at ridiculously high prices. A lone bottle would last a noble a year as a sipping drink. That was about as much of a presence alcohol had in the Heartland and Celestia preferred it that way. When the legionnaires heard about the scarcity of such a familiar comfort, they were more than happy to bring their own supply. When the first legionnaires arrived in the Heartland, barrel after barrel of cheaply-made, highly potent booze poured in with them. With the health concerns, it was natural for the Barrier Lands ponies to prefer their homeland's booze over the local water. This wasn't bad in itself. Legionnaire have had a lifetime to deal with booze. Faced with especially harsh penalties should they get rowdy and drunk in the Heartland, it was easy for them to moderate their drinking.

The trouble, however, started around two days ago. A group of legionnaires, in a commendable but ultimately misguided attempt to ingratiate themselves with the locals, shared some of their booze with nearby curious chosen. Ordinary chosen did not have the same sort of incentives the legionnaires had to moderate their drinking. They knew almost next to nothing about the stuff. They drank, enjoyed the drink, then proceeded to besot themselves. In the following days, the Royal Guard found itself swamped with having to quell the drunken antics of chosen around the streets. Terrato refused to have the legionnaires get rid of their booze as Celestia asked, stating that it was one of the few comforts they had in such a strange land. He did issue orders to the legionnaires to avoid sharing anymore booze, but Luna doubted that would be enough of a measure. It wouldn't be long until the chosen applied their resourcefulness to support their newly acquired habit. It was up to Celestia and the Royal Guard to temper that habit with moderation lest even Canterlot turn into a drunken orgy.

Luna sighed as she set down the reports. With so many things to take care of, she hadn't even put a hoof on the problem of Black Rose. The usurper was out there somewhere, planning something involving the Blasphemous Rift, as her brother had mentioned. The Legion's Special Operations division had made good use of the hidden archives. It was a secret only known to her and her siblings as well as Lexarius. Terrato seemed confident that Black Rose had not gained access to them yet, but doubted the likelihood of things staying that way. With her former teacher actively looking out for her with his magic, it would be difficult for the newly ascended "alicorn" to move about personally without revealing herself. Hopefully, she would be forced to rely on minions. The movements that Terrato asked of his Special Operations ponies concerned her a bit though. She decided to speak to him about it.

That led to another issue that Celestia insisted on taking care of. Luna left her room and strode through the halls until she stood outside the room she was looking for. Even as she opened the double doors, she already heard her sister's patient and imploring tone.

"All we ask for is unhindered access to Sky Mirror Lake," Celestia said to the magical image of Queen Chrysalis. "We have no intention of attacking your people, but it is imperative that we are able to go there."

"The changelings owe you nothing, Celestia!" Chrysalis spat. "Tell me why we should bow and part before you and your pathetic little ponies while you make your way through our territory?"

For a moment, Luna stood outside the room and looked on quietly. Her brother was also inside, using his magic to facilitate the meeting with Chrysalis's projection. He had his eyes closed and forelegs crossed while he listened to the negotiations. Luna could understand why. Celestia had been reluctant to tell their brother about the Canterlot Wedding Incident, knowing the sort of action he would recommend. Even Luna didn't want to bring it up even though what had overcome the changelings was, perhaps, the greatest sign of the barrier's inadequacy. When access to the Blasphemous Rift became necessary, he eventually had to know.

"No pony will set foot on our territory!" Chrysalis said defiantly. "Those who try will be sucked dry!"

Both Celestia and Luna noticed the slight twitch in Terrato's eyebrow. Sooner or later he was going to lose his patience and recommend exterminating the changelings as both retaliation for their previous attack and as a precaution against any more interference on their part. It was for that reason that Celestia insisted on taking charge of negotiations. Despite what the changelings had become and what they had tried to do, she didn't want them destroyed like pests.

Luna still remembered what the changelings were like before the…change. They were strange hybrids of pony and butterfly gifted with amazing powers of transformation. They delighted in mischief through impersonating others, but never meant any harm. Indeed, those who displayed good humor towards the changelings' pranks were often rewarded. That was why Celestia had no problem with their remaining inside the barrier. Sometime during her banishment, the changelings had started becoming more and more withdrawn. Celestia admitted that, while she had found it a bit odd, she believed it was simply a slight shift in their lifestyle and continued to have faith in the changelings' immortal queen.

Even when the changelings settled around Sky Mirror Lake, there was little cause for concern. The seals laid down by Lexarius and the other stewards ensured that the power of Oceanus did not infect Equestria. What happened after that was difficult to pin down. By Celestia's account, the changelings isolated themselves further for the next three hundred years. Though she had the Royal Guard keep a vigilant watch, she was loathe to use more militant methods in preparing. At that time, she still hadn't believed that Queen Chrysalis could have changed so much or go so far. After her return, Luna had grown suspicious and worked with one of the royal nieces, Princess Cadance, to investigate the changelings. Cadance confirmed what Luna had suspected. The changelings had turned into the dark, emotion-feeding creatures they were today and Chrysalis had taken great measures to hide that fact from Celestia. It seemed that even the seals of the Eternal Herd's stewards were not perfect or, perhaps as more rebellions took place, the power of Oceanus grew.

Unfortunately, Cadance had not been subtle enough and caught the attention of Chrysalis herself. The changeling queen learned of the wedding plans and chose that time to make a move.

It was only during the Canterlot Wedding Incident did Queen Chrysalis reveal the full extent of what she and her people had gone through. The surprise attack allowed for a Canterlot invasion even with Shining Armor's powerful barrier. The combination of Celestia's hesitation to reveal any great degree of fighting prowess to her subjects, her underestimation of the threat, and the sheer surprise brought about by the boldness of Chrysalis's attack nearly resulted in complete disaster. It was what convinced Luna to finally go to the Barrier Lands to talk to her brother, ironic given that it was the incident she hesitated in mentioning.

"You are flirting with disaster here, Chrysalis!" Celestia said with a snort and a stomp of her hoof. The sudden angry gesture surprised both Luna and Terrato. "You seem to be ignoring that I chose not to retaliate after your attack on Canterlot. Do not exhaust my options for settling this peacefully!"

Luna took more than a small bit of satisfaction at seeing Queen Chrysalis visibly flinch. The changeling quickly recovered, however. "Your little tantrum does not impress me, Celestia," Chrysalis replied. "But it's easy to see that this means a lot to you. I'm willing to negotiate safe passage in return for some tribute."

Celestia allowed herself a slight smile and Terrato relaxed. "Name your price," she said.

"I will think it over first. This meeting is over. I will contact you once I've made up my mind." With that, Chrysalis's image dissipated and Terrato opened his eyes. "I still think we should just destroy them," he said flatly.

"Equestria has more than enough enemies," Celestia replied as Luna entered the room.

"Which includes them already," Terrato insisted. "They attacked first, remember? You may have cowed them for now, but they're still a disaster waiting to happen."

"The changelings were turned into this. There is still hope in turning them back, but that will be impossible if you wipe them from the face of Equestria."

Terrato glanced towards his younger sister. "Luna?" he asked.

Luna cleared her throat as she found herself in the middle of her two siblings. "The changelings will have to be dealt with soon," she said, eliciting a frown of disappointment from her sister. "But I think we should bide our time until the reunification has settled some more."

Terrato let out a snort. "So what did you come by here for, little sister?" he asked. "Just passing by to see how negotiations went?"

"I just wanted to know why you're moving Special Operations around," Luna replied. "You've sent a couple of squads to Ponyville of all places. Now, you've got more working with the Royal Guard to delve Mount Unicornia. What for?"

"If Black Rose plans to open the seals to the Blasphemous Rift, there should be two ways to do it," he replied. "She can break them externally which would require more power than she has at the moment. She'll have to somehow siphon it from the Eternal Herd, which I doubt. She can also break them internally."

"What do you mean by that?" Luna asked.

"Oceanus's…weapon possesses immense power," Terrato continued. "It's certainly enough to break any seal Lexarius and the other stewards can come up with. If Black Rose can slip in just a small amount of magic through the seals, she can coax that power to go off. This is the same plan as Clover the Clever was likely trying to accomplish before Lexarius struck her down."

"So you had some squads sent to Everfree Castle," Celestia said. "But why Mount Unicornia?"

"Haven't you been reading from the hidden archives?" Terrato asked.

"I hid it away and put it out my mind, remember?"

"Mount Unicornia's mines contain the Crystal Grave, a by product of the unicorn massacre that occurred there before Lexarius came. Even though she lost the mine's use, Princess Platinum spent a lot of resources modifying that giant mana crystal with Oceanus's power. Fortunately, after she retreated to the Old Kingdom's capital, Lexarius found it and sealed it away."

"So Black Rose's plan is to break through the seals using the various projects of the Six Companions?" Celestia asked.

"If we're willing to believe Blue Moon entirely," Terrato added. I think it's the best way to open those seals. Even if that's not her goal, controlling these dangerous sources of power is important." He paused for a moment. He had already mentioned in earlier meetings that Black Rose may have deliberately allowed Blue Moon to betray her with that much knowledge of her plans so that the Legion did most of the legwork in breaking the seals. He spent a great deal of resources monitoring his own Special Operations to ensure that none of them were spies for her, but he mentioned that he was banking more on one thing that even she wouldn't be expecting. When Luna pressed him about what that was, he refused to say anything more.

Luna looked out a window which had, fittingly enough, a good view of Mount Unicornia's summit. Her brother had not mentioned which squads he had sent, but she had found out earlier. The First and Third squads, along with a group from the Royal Guard were currently spelunking in that abandoned gem mine. She could only hope for their success.

* * *

><p>Though they were already quite deep into the mine, Vanguard and the rest of the Special Operations ponies sent with him found it easy to navigate the tunnels of Mount Unicornia. The walls were lined with luminous gems that served them better than any torch. Nevertheless, they moved slowly. One of the ponies with them was mapping everything down.<p>

The presence of the gems begged the question, however. The mine clearly had plenty of resources. Why was it abandoned? Not even Canterlot's residents knew why. The mines were off-limits and they weren't the sort to pry. Vanguard could understand that part. A sense of wrongness permeated the mine's tunnels like thick fog. The walls, the scattered mining tools and abandoned carts…this mine wasn't abandoned because it was depleted. Something happened here a long time ago.

"I spent my entire life reading about how Princess Platinum was an insufferable snob who eventually learned the importance of friendship," Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor said grimly. "Now I get to find out that she was up to some horrible things down here."

"You're welcome," Vanguard replied. It was a bit unusual working with the Royal Guard, but Special Operations was low on ponies in the Heartland. He suspected that Princess Celestia requested it to foster better relations between the Legion and the Royal Guard and her brother had agreed. He empathized with Shining Armor despite the differences between the realms they came from. He had thought that the Heartland was a place clean of the grim incidents that happened often in the Barrier Lands, but it turned out that there are still niches of such things carefully tucked away beneath a veneer of peace.

The group descended a particularly steep slope as they followed a large tunnel, carefully making sure that none of them started sliding down one of the chasms around them. Vanguard could see stalagmites and pointed crystal formations at the bottom of those chasms, ready to meet any pony unfortunate enough to fall.

"So what happened here anyway?" Scarlet Rabbit asked as he hovered next to Vanguard. When his captain looked at him sternly, he grinned sheepishly. "Hey, I didn't get to read from the hidden archive!"

"After the Windigo Crisis, Platinum ran a gigantic mining operation here with a city's population of earth pony slave labor," Vanguard replied. "Eventually, these earth ponies developed a magic of their own and started an uprising. Led by Rock Maven, they massacred the small army of unicorn overseers watching over them and fled to the outskirts of Equestria."

"Rock Maven…I've heard of that name before," Scarlet said.

"Rock Maven, the first leader of the True Earth Ponies."

"Well if I-!"

Before Scarlet could say anything else, Vanguard raised a hoof which caused everypony to stop. "Did you see that?" he asked. He focused his gaze at the far end of the tunnel. The ponies with him readied spells and weapons.

At the far end of the tunnel, a dim figure, about the size of a pony, was approaching the group. Vanguard's ears perked, but he couldn't hear a single sound despite all the loose rocks and gems around.

"Who goes there?" Shining Armor called out.

"Get back to work…" came a faint reply. Shining Armor tensed.

The figure came closer and into better view. Vanguard heard one of the royal guards gasp briefly. He could understand why. Standing before them was a dark, pony-shaped blob of shadow. They could make out what appeared to be a horn and a mane, but the rest of its features were too indistinct.

"We're not workers here," Shining Armor told the thing.

"Not yet…" the thing replied.

Before anypony else could react, the thing gave a loud wail and charged. To the group's horror, more followed as shadows burst from the walls, the ceiling and from the ground itself.


	17. Unwanted Legacies

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 17: Unwanted Legacies**

The Everfree Forest occupied a unique place in the minds of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Like most ponies, they've always considered the forest to be a dangerous place, full of creatures like cockatrices, parasprites and timber wolves as well as unnatural things like self-moving clouds and independent wildlife. Yet, it was also in this place that they went from random acquaintances to the closest of friends, where they freed Princess Luna from Nightmare Moon as well as the place that their friend, Zecora, lived in.

Some of the trepidation that came from visiting Everfree had disappeared now that they were back here again. Twilight realized that it may be because they had gotten used to uncontrolled weather in the Barrier Lands as well as being around constant danger. The danger was still there, but, instead of fear, all she felt was a heightened sense of caution.

The trip to Everfree Castle proved to be uneventful however. The most danger they encountered was when a pack of timber wolves investigated their presence at a distance and then gave the group a wide berth. It was an understandable sight. Predators preferred easy pickings: lost fillies or injured animals, not a group of armed and dangerous ponies. Twilight had decided to subtly steer the Special Operations ponies away from Zecora's hut as well. She didn't know the Barrier Lands attitude towards zebras, but now wasn't the time to find out.

It was a late afternoon sun's rays that filtered through the canopy of leaves by the time they were looking up at the ruins of Everfree Castle. While the forest lost some of its mystique to Twilight, the castle made up for it by gaining a dark aura about it. This was a place of betrayals; not just of Princess Luna betraying her sister all those centuries ago, but also of Clover the Clever betraying the legends of her greatness that Twilight had grown up with. She found it odd that, despite hundreds of years of abandonment, the forest had barely even started reclaiming the area around the castle. A few vines and stunted trees were the only attempts on the foliage's part to blot out a site where Clover the Clever did who knew what.

"No lollygagging now," Nightcanter said as she walked past Twilight. The ponies from Special Operations didn't seem affected by the dark atmosphere around the castle. Twilight couldn't say the same for herself. She swallowed nervously, taking note that the sky seemed darker around this place even though it should still be afternoon. She looked to her friends; their expressions told her that they felt something similar. She then trotted after Captain Nightcanter.

"So where are we going?" Twilight asked Nightcanter. "We didn't see any other passage the last time we went here."

"We're not looking for hidden passageways," Nightcanter replied. "You don't really think that ponies like Lexarius and Princess Celestia would simply rely on hidden passageways to hide a place like Clover the Clever's last refuge, do you?"

"I suppose not," Twilight said. She looked around. They were back in the Chamber of Elements, the same place where Nightmare Moon was driven from Princess Luna. Nothing had changed since their last visit here. The gray stone walls perhaps looked a little more worn and there might be a few more cracks on the floor. She saw Nightcanter pull out a scroll from a saddlebag and hold it telekinetically. "What's that?" she asked.

"Lexarius's incantation to get us to the last refuge," Nightcanter replied. "We'll use it to both enter and leave. Everypony get close to me, we'll be teleporting there once I read this."

Everypony gathered around Nightcanter as she began reading out of the scroll. Twilight couldn't make heads or tails of the words, but the language sounded familiar. She turned towards Applejack. "Do you think it's the same language that The Queen used?" she asked.

"Dunno," Applejack replied. "I can't even tell where one slippery word ends and another starts, to be honest."

Before anypony can say anything else, a circle of golden light surrounded the group. They heard a faint humming sound just before a blinding flash forced them to shut their eyes tight. The familiar feeling of a teleportation spell tugging at them was all it took to guess what the incantation was for. This was no ordinary teleportation, however. Even the earth ponies and pegasi in the group felt as if they had passed through something, some kind of intangible wall.

It took a while for Twilight's vision to clear. The first thing she felt was that she almost neck-deep in some kind of cold liquid. She heard Rarity cry out followed by some frantic splashing and, for a bleak moment, she thought that they were under attack. "Nopony told me we were going to start wading in water!" Rarity said. "This moisture is going to wreak havoc on my hooves!"

"What's going on?" Fluttershy yelped. "Help! Something just slithered past my legs!"

"That was just my tail," Rainbow said. "I think…"

"Shut up and stop splashing about!" Nightcanter snapped. "We're blinded and the first thing you do is drown out any sound?"

The splashes and cries stopped at once. Without any distractions, Twilight could now focus on her other senses. A deathly silence had fallen upon them. She didn't know if they were in water or some other substance, but it did feel cold and the ground beneath them felt slick. The air was musty and damp. There was a foul lingering odor she couldn't quite place as well. As her vision began to clear a bit, Twilight noticed another problem. It was pitch dark.

"We need a light," Nightcanter said. Both Twilight and Captain Foxfire in Special Operations cast the same spell. Two balls of soft-glowing light materialized and floated next to their casters, bathing the nearby surroundings in pale blue illumination. The first thing Twilight did upon recovering her vision was look at what she was standing in.

The dead eyes of a pony's corpse stared right back at her.

Despite Nightcanter's previous warning, Twilight screamed. She reared up in a panic which quickly infected the rest of her friends.

"Where in tarnation are we?" Applejack asked loudly.

Fluttershy looked down, shrieked, and then flew right out of the water. Rainbow also began hovering even though she didn't know what the commotion was about. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were floundering about as if they were about to drown. Even the Special Operations ponies looked disturbed.

Thanks to the light, the group got a good look at what they were standing in. They were wading in a wide pool of what appeared to be water. Scattered around the bottom of the pool were the bodies of several ponies, their eyes still open. Despite what may well be thousands of years, they were remarkably well preserved. All the trashing also caused the water to displace them, panicking Twilight and her friends even more.

"Settle down!" Nightcanter snarled. "It's just corpses!" She looked around and then pointed towards the elevated edges of the pool. They were inside a large chamber with this pool as its central feature. Their lights didn't extend far enough to see the edges of the room. "Let's get out of this pool," she said. Everypony else was all too happy to comply. A minute later, they were collecting themselves by the edge of the pool.

"W-w-where are we?" Fluttershy asked. She shivered partly from the cold and partly from the sight she had just seen. The others were concentrating on drying up. Twilight cast another spell, this time conjuring a small ball of flames to help them warm up. After that, she looked around. The floor was dark blue marble as were the walls. They appeared in good condition, perhaps as a side-effect of the sealing.

'Got to give it to Clover the Clever,' Nightcanter remarked. "This may be her last refuge, but she still built it with some style. Sparkle, can you get your light to the ceiling?"

Twilight did as she was asked and pale blue light soon illuminated the ceiling, the rather high ceiling. There were no windows that she could see. It was likely that they were deep underground. She tried not to think of the tons of rock that were bearing down on them. Instead, she focused on making her light hover across the room to get a better look at the surroundings.

"Check that out…" Nightcanter said breathlessly as the light made its way to the center of the chamber's ceiling. Twilight could understand the sudden sense of awe as she saw it as well.

An enormous engraving dominated the central part of the ceiling. Twilight increased the intensity of her light to give them all a better view. At the very center of the engraving was what appeared to be a pony's head that stared directly down on the pool of water beneath it. Twilight wasn't sure if the head was supposed to be a stallion's or a mare's. Its features closely resembled an alicorn's instead of a normal pony's. A great mass of tentacles emerged from the head like a twisted version of the sun's rays. They extended throughout the ceiling so that they reached where the edges of the pool were beneath. Caught in the morass of tentacles were several ponies: unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies and even alicorns.

"Oceanus," Nightcanter whispered.

"What was going on here?" Twilight asked in an equally soft tone. It was as if they were standing in the presence of the mysterious alicorn himself and were trying futilely to avoid drawing attention among themselves.

"This must be the sacrificial chamber," Nightcanter replied. "Sacrifices were done often in the Old Kingdom." She looked at the pool of water and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "The preferred method was drowning. They broke the legs of victims and dumped them in the center of pools like this one."

Twilight refused to look at the pool again. It wasn't just the sight of the bloated dead bodies that disturbed her. It was the idea behind them. The idea of ponies sacrificing each other for power. She stared at the central figure in the engraving above them. What kind of alicorn prince would demand that his ponies drown others for his favor? She then remembered the outrage in Prince Terrato's voice when she had called Oceanus his sibling. She understood that outrage now. Oceanus was supposed to be their progenitor, the father of all mortal ponies. That made him her father in a way and the thought of it was disgusting. She felt tainted inside.

"That's enough drying off and warming up," Nightcanter told the group as she stood up. "We're not here to get cozy with each other so let's go."

The others complied. Twilight observed them carefully just to make sure they were alright. Nightcanter's squad was doing fine. So was Fourth Squad. Captain Foxfire had introduced herself and the rest of Fourth Squad earlier and then didn't talk much after that. The Special Operations ponies seemed to have an agreement that Nightcanter would take the lead. Twilight's friends seemed to have taken a hit from just arriving in this place. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity were looking a little sick. The darkness and dampness were smothering their spirits. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were holding up better, but were still clearly affected by this place.

A brief search quickly turned up a corridor leading out of the sacrificial chamber. Nightcanter cast her own light spell to help brighten the conditions. This hall was large enough to accommodate their group with ease. Like the chamber they just left behind, the floor was marble. The only sounds came from their steady hoof falls as they walked through the corridor. Nightcanter passed a hoof over the walls as she walked past. They were adorned with an undecipherable, spidery script that seemed to dance about if stared at for too long.

"Captain Nightcanter," Twilight said.

"What is it?"

"Once I get to Canterlot, you think I can spend some time in the hidden archives? I'd like to learn more about this 'Old Kingdom'."

"Not really my call there, Sparkle," Nightcanter replied. "Try talking with one of the royalty."

"I will," Twilight said softly. She tried once again to make some sense of the writings. The characters seemed to writhe before her eyes as she focused on them, mocking any attempt at trying to get them to make sense.

"Woah, what was that?" Rainbow hollered. Loaded crossbows were quickly pointed towards where she was looking at only to end up being pointed at a wall. The Special Operations ponies looked at her askance. "The wall moved!" she protested. "I swear I saw it move!"

"Don't look at those squiggly letters, sugar cube," Applejack said. "They do some funny stuff to your eyes if you look too hard."

The group moved on until they came upon an intersection. From where they were facing, the hallways going left and right ended in double stone doors while the hallway straight ahead continued to go on.

"We'd better split up," Foxfire said. She surveyed the group and then looked at their choices. "Two groups of five and a group of four?"

Nightcanter nodded. "Make sure each group gets a light," she said. She looked over to her vice captain, Shale Hide. "Shale, take Riproar, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and that white unicorn with you. Quillfeather and I will go with the pink earth pony, the yellow pegasus and the rainbow pegasus."

"You could at least learn our names," Rainbow muttered as she took her place by Nightcanter's side.

"Fourth Squad will take the central hallway," Foxfire said.

Nightcanter led her group towards the left hallway and gestured for Shale Hide's group to keep going straight ahead. "Call out at the first sign of our objective or trouble," she told them.

With that, the three groups split up.

* * *

><p>It took three ponies to eventually pry open the double doors that blocked off Twilight's group. Though Shale Hide was clearly the leader for this occasion, it was Twilight who walked ahead of them. She shone the light into another room. This one was smaller than the sacrificial chamber, but still quite sizeable. The ball of light hovered over a fallen bookcase and a large pile of scattered books. With a gasp, Twilight moved the light about quickly and saw even more books around them.<p>

"Library," Shale Hide muttered. The dark green pegasus picked his way the scattered books and then looked back to the rest of the group. "See if you can find anything useful among those things."

Twilight eagerly went over to the nearest book she could find and opened it. To her disappointment, she was faced with the same spidery script that marked the walls, making the book useless. She doubted that the others would make sense.

"I don't think you should just go around diving into any book that Clover the Clever wrote, Twilight," Applejack said worriedly. "This whole place doesn't feel right and I don't trust any book written by a pony who'd live here."

"Clover the Clever is dead, Applejack," Twilight replied. She continued to search through the books anyway. Perhaps, at some point in time, Clover the Clever switched languages. "Knowledge about her and what she associated with can't be inherently evil."

"I'm not so sure about that. Anyway, are you really going to head for Canterlot after this?"

"Probably. I want to find out more about the Old Kingdom as soon as I get there."

"I think you should see your family first."

"That goes without saying, Applejack." Annoyance tinged Twilight's tone again. She was getting completely fed up with Applejack. Even the orange earth pony's presence was setting her teeth on edge. It must be that sweaty farm pony stink that clung to her constantly. Combine that with her better-than-you "integrity", her shameless flirting, her obsession with apples, those ugly freckles, and that annoying accent, it was no wonder that Rainbow tried to beat her face in back when Bastion City was still under siege. Why couldn't she just fade into the background? Nopony liked her. She was just some backwards, inbred, caricature of a countryside bumpkin.

A thought suddenly came to Twilight's mind. The right spell should put Applejack in her place. Something flashy to make her an example to others…a fire spell sounded just about right. She could just imagine it, flames charring that orange hide, the flesh melting right off her skull, her cutie mark turning into roasted apples…

'What…what am I thinking?" Twilight pressed a hoof against her head. 'Was I just fantasizing about killing Applejack?' She dropped the book she was holding and looked guiltily behind her.

* * *

><p>Applejack continued to stare at Twilight as the purple unicorn flipped through book after book. It was becoming more and more obvious that her "friend" had to be put down for everypony's good.<p>

Twilight Sparkle was out of control. She stuck her nose into things she shouldn't and her magic made her dangerous. This should have been considered a long time ago. How many times had Twilight's magic caused trouble in Ponyville? She wielded spells that took away the free will of others without any hesitation. She bossed everypony around at every opportunity and paraded her status as Princess Celestia's student as if that made her farts smell like perfume. She should have had stones thrown at her until she was dead for being so obnoxious.

Applejack's eyes shifted to the chain she had around her neck. Twilight's magic was dangerous, but if she could slip a lasso around the purple unicorn's neck, she was sure she could snap it with a single tug before the first spell could fly. It wouldn't be too hard either. The miserable bookworm probably had glass bones from the lack of any proper exercise. But a surprise attack was too quick and unsatisfying. No, it would be better to knock Twilight down by shattering her jaw with a single well-placed kick and then choke her. Unicorn magic was useless if they couldn't concentrate. That was a better plan. She was going to enjoy seeing the smug little nag struggle desperately as her lungs started to burn. Twilight's eyes would bulge in terror, realizing too late that all the knowledge she had learned, all the magic she had accumulated and all the plans she had carefully prepared would amount to nothing. Then her tongue would loll and her heart would stop…

Applejack shook her head. 'What in tarnation? Why was I-?" She saw Twilight now looking at her. She looked away, suddenly afraid that Twilight had caught a glimpse of what she had just been thinking.

Twilight opened her mouth to say something. "Applejack I-!"

A scream from a stallion interrupted Twilight's halting apology. Their entire group turned around and then galloped towards the intersection.

* * *

><p>Nightcanter found herself looking at a bedroom. While her group spread out, she guessed that this must be the place Clover the Clever slept when she wasn't trying to break the seals on the rift. The trappings of luxury were still in place despite all the centuries. The bedside table had eating utensils on top of it that looked to be made of silver,the canopy bed had sheets of fine red silk embroidered with gold thread, and the pillows looked soft and inviting.<p>

Nightcanter suddenly felt an urge to try the bed out. Instinctively she glanced towards the three chosen mares in the room with her. That would be an interesting situation...she shook her head. That was crazy, she was in the middle of work and she wasn't going to go that far no matter what. She placed a hoof on the bedding. Confirming her observation, it was still soft and looked functional. It was as if the room had removed itself from the passage of time.

"Pinkie, are you alright?" Fluttershy asked worriedly. Her friend was visibly shaking. It wasn't even due to the cold as they had already dried off and this room was not even particularly chilly. She looked around to see if there was something terrifying in the room. Nightcanter's light didn't show anything of that sort.

"What's going on here?" Nightcanter came over and asked. She looked over at the shivering Pinkie Pie. "Is she coming down with a fever or something?"

Fluttershy felt Pinkie's forehead with a hoof and shook her head.

"W-w-we should get out of here," Pinkie said despite her chattering teeth. "My Pinkie sense is going crazy!"

"Not until we get what we're looking for," Nightcanter replied. "Now, spread out and look for anything we can use."

Fluttershy continued to stay with Pinkie while Rainbow Dash and Quillfeather did as Nightcanter ordered. "Can't you turn your Pinkie Sense off?" Fluttershy asked. "All that shaking can't be good for you!"

"I wish I could!" Pinkie answered. "I think my teeth are going to fall off!" Her eyes widened as if she remembered something and then went for her saddlebags. She pulled out a small piece of slate covered in strange writing and some gems.

Fluttershy gasped as she saw the glowing piece of slate. She looked to Pinkie Pie who had stop shaking and was now staring ahead of her. "Pinkie?" she asked, now even more worried than before.

* * *

><p>As soon as Pinkie touched the piece of slate, she noticed what seemed to be a stream of faint colors running through the walls, ceiling and floor. She squinted at the sight. It was as if the walls had become partly translucent and she could barely make out something at the other side. As she looked on, she noticed even more of the stream around her. There was something going on with the walls as well. They looked…squirmy.<p>

"Are you alright, Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked again.

"Ooooh…"

Before Fluttershy could try to make sense out of what was happening to Pinkie, a loud cry from Rainbow followed by a loud thud of something striking the ground made both of them look. Something flew past Fluttershy and struck the wall with a metallic clink. She didn't look to see what it was, however. Instead, she ran over to Rainbow. "Rainbow, are you alright?" she asked. "What happened?"

Rainbow was lying on her side. She looked dazed after apparently hitting her head against the wall. Her unloaded crossbow lay right next to her. She shook her head to clear it and then looked worriedly at Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, are you hurt?" she asked. "Are you bleeding?"

"I'm fine," Fluttershy replied. She looked back at Pinkie Pie, who was now holding the piece of slate intensely and fiddling with it. "It looks like Pinkie is fine too."

* * *

><p>Rainbow stared at the crossbow before putting it away. What had just happened? Why was she trying to shoot Fluttershy and thinking that useless, whining mares were better off being put out of their misery? The next thing she knew she was already pulling the firing lever on her crossbow. She had managed to jump to the side to make sure she missed.<p>

"What do you think you're doing, Rainbow Dash?" Nightcanter asked as she came over.

"I…I don't know. I'm with Pinkie, I think we should get out of here."

Before Nightcanter replied, the group heard the scream of a stallion coming from outside the room. Fearing the worst, all of them swiftly ran out. They encountered Shale Hide's group and then headed straight for the central corridor. It was Nightcanter who first crossed the doorway. "Foxfire!" she shouted. "What's with all the screaming? Celestia drill my backside, what happened?"

The central hallway had also led to a pair of doors. Inside was a circular chamber as large as the one with the sacrificial pool. This one had no pool, however. Instead, a large podium stood at the center of the chamber. On top of it was a plain, leather-bound tome. In front of the podium stood what appeared to be a coffin made of black glass

Nightcanter and the others saw three ponies lying on the ground while a panting Captain Foxfire stood just a few feet away. "Fogbound suddenly pulled a knife on us," she said between pants. "He got both Palemane and Cloven before I took him out."

Nightcanter scowled at the sight. "There goes Fourth Squad," she muttered. She walked over to inspect the tome while Fluttershy trotted over to Foxfire to check her injuries.

* * *

><p>"Wait!" Pinkie Pie cried out before Fluttershy could even come close to Foxfire. The others stared at her in puzzlement, but she didn't notice them. As she continued to hold on to the piece of slate, the colors slowly became more vivid. Now, it was as if the entire refuge was submerged in a giant river of colors. The walls were still black and translucent, but she saw something else as well. Slithering out of the letters were slender black tendrils. They were all over the place, like some monstrous infection. Some were trying to touch her friends, but she could clearly see a bunch of them wrapped tightly around Foxfire. "She's the bad guy," she said softly.<p>

"What?" Nightcanter asked. She took a step towards Foxfire, who was now staring intensely at Pinkie.

"She's the bad guy!" Pinkie said again, louder this time. Foxfire snarled and then pointed her horn at her. Before the unicorn could cast anything, however, a pair of bolts and a lone blade struck her side. The group looked towards where they came from to find both Rainbow and Shale already reloading. The blade removed itself from Foxfire and floated back to Rarity, who immediately set about cleaning it.

"Why did she do that?" Rarity asked aghast. "Was she…was she working for Black Rose?"

Pinkie Pie barely heard Rarity however. The colors were fading and she felt as if all the energy in her body had just leaked out. The next thing she knew, the ground was coming up to meet her and everything was going dark.

* * *

><p>"What just happened?" Nightcanter asked softly as she looked at the unconscious pink pony.<p>

"It's this place," Twilight answered as she helped her friends carry Pinkie. "It's doing something to us. We need to leave."

Nightcanter nodded and then went over to get the tome. It looked like it was the most important thing here. She looked over to the coffin and considered bringing it along as well. "So Clover the Clever spent her last days sleeping in a room next to a tomb," she remarked. "That mare had odd tastes."

As Nightcanter touched the coffin, however, the lid suddenly slid to the side. All of them gathered behind her in alarm.

The inside of the coffin was still covered by a clear glass pane. Inside, suspended as if by magic, were the skeletal remains of a pony.

"Twilight…" Applejack said. The purple unicorn turned toward her curiously. "Why is that skeleton wearing your country music star outfit?"

Twilight swallowed and put a trembling hoof against the glass pane. It looked as if she was having trouble breathing. "It can't be," she whispered. "The bells...the hat...the cloak..."

"Brace yourselves," Nightcanter said grimly. "We're taking it with us."


	18. The Crystal Grave

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 18: The Crystal Grave**

"Unicorns, enchantments!"

Vanguard called that out as soon as the first swing of his two-bladed sword went right through one of the shadowy unicorns coming at him. He didn't know if anypony heard him through the din, especially as he had shouted while still biting into his weapon's hilt. He took a few steps back and ducked a swing from his frontal attacker. Behind him, the rest of the combined Special Operations and Royal Guard ponies were dodging desperately as well. Their enemies were numerous and were coming at them from every angle, including directly beneath them.

Captain Bad Arc of Special Operations First Squad looked to his unicorn mage and then fired his crossbow at a nearby shadow. The bolt struck a crystal formation a good distance behind his target instead. "Enchantments!" he shouted. "Move it, Moontail!"

One shade plunged a hoof into a royal guard's armored chest, the blackness simply passing through the metal plating as if it wasn't there. The royal guard dropped to the ground, shivering violently and his eyes constricting. His attacker simply disappeared into the ground to attack another target. A second guard dropped next to him, also shivering.

"Stand next to me!" Moontail shouted. His horn already glowed with magic while the others desperately tried to get to him with all the shadows flitting about.

Shining Armor wasn't to be left out. Once he rallied the royal guards to him, his horn flashed purple, enveloping their weapons and armor. Several feet away, Moontail had done the same.

His two-bladed sword now sheathed in magical energy, Vanguard took another swing at one of the shadowy unicorns. This time he felt some resistance, as if he was cutting through felt. His foe let out a furious wail and retreated into the floor. He turned around in time to jump out of the way as a two more of them emerged from the ground to grab him. "Fall back!" he called out. Even with the ability to strike at these things, they were still surrounded by enemies that could literally attack from anywhere.

Shining Armor struck another shadow with a bolt of magic, sending it hurtling back. His fellow guards fought back valiantly, but it was clear to Vanguard Clash that they were looking to back away. He spotted one guard, Gold Leaf, about to be overwhelmed by a couple of shadows. Before he could be struck, however, he was encapsulated in a spherical barrier of Shining Armor's magic, forcing his assailants to seek other targets. The barrier disappeared after a second more, allowing Gold Leaf to stumble towards his fellows.

"Riot!" one of the shadows wailed. "The new slaves are rebelling! Call the forepony!"

With shadows still closing in, Vanguard turned towards Moontail and spat out his weapon onto his hooves. "We need a spell that can sweep groups of them," he said.

"Not really my forte, Vanguard Clash," Moontail said as he blasted another shadow that was flying towards him. "Although, I've got a fire spell that could work reasonably well."

'Fire,' Vanguard thought. He didn't know how well it would even work. These things seemed to be made of nothing but darkness and cold. Perhaps a blast of heat and light could take them out. Or the flames could simply pass through them. "Do it," he said. "Aim for that cluster that's closing in on Shining Armor's group." He grabbed his weapon with his mouth again.

Moontail pointed his horn at the targets Vanguard pointed out and a stream of flame poured out towards them. It wasn't a particularly impressive spell, but the shadows shrieked at the sight and dispersed towards different directions before it could even touch them. With a break between the attacks, Shining Armor and his guards quickly regrouped. Without another word, Vanguard ran towards them.

Free of having to watch out for the other guards, Shining Armor concentrated on another spell. He focused on the ground beneath them, creating a shimmering cover over it. Vanguard silently agreed with the idea, it didn't take much to surmise that their biggest problem was surprise attacks coming out of the ground. They needed a way to force their attackers to use more conventional directions. One shadow emerged from the ceiling and descended Shining Armor only to be cut down by an enormous two-bladed sword.

"I'll watch your back, Captain Shining Armor!" Vanguard said as he positioned himself next to the unicorn. "Concentrate on that barrier of yours and get the nearby walls!" Two more shadows flew towards Shining Armor, but Vanguard kept them at bay. The shimmering barrier continued to extend from the unicorn and then began to coat the nearby walls, forcing the shadows to attack only from the ceiling.

With their targets being funneled into a single direction, the group of ponies began to drive the shadows back. Moontail fired another stream of flame at the ceiling, this time striking a pair of shadows. They wailed and then dispersed. The others phased through the stone and didn't appear again.

A tense minute passed as the group waited for the attack to resume. Most of them were panting with exertion. The other royal guards checked on their fallen comrade only to find that the poor stallion had stopped breathing. His body was cold and rigid, as if he had been dead for days instead of just a couple of minutes ago.

"Are they gone?" Scarlet asked. He kept his crossbow pointed at the ceiling.

"For now," Vanguard replied. "Keep your guards up."

"Did we kill some of them?" Bad Arc asked.

"How do you kill something that's dead to start with?" Moontail asked. "No. At best, we disrupted their physical forms so it will take them time to be able to attack us."

"Perhaps we should get some backup," Shining Armor suggested. He looked up at the scorch marks on the ceiling. "Some more fire would help."

"Sounds good," Vanguard said. He looked to some of the guards and one of the ponies from First Squad. The shadows managed to graze them with their freezing incorporeal touch and they complained of pain and itchiness. Having spent most of his life in the Northern Barrier Land, he knew frost nip when he saw it. These ponies were lucky that what they got was the equivalent of a minor scratch from their ghostly enemies.

"Bad time to lose Third Squad's unicorn mage then," Bad Arc said. He stretched out his wings while they continued to watch for a sudden return. "Just as when we need a fire specialist, the best one in the entire Legion dies."

The rest of the squad glanced at Bad Arc and then at Vanguard nervously, but he didn't as much as flinch. "I'm sure Pyre Valor regrets that her being incinerated inconveniences you, Captain Bad Arc," he replied.

Bad Arc didn't seem aware that he might be treading on a sensitive subject or he simply didn't care as he went on. After a couple more minutes without any sign of the enemy passed by, he spoke again. "Wasn't Third Squad going to get Twilight Sparkle as its new unicorn mage? I've seen her fire spells. Even she would be a boon to this mission."

Shining Armor stopped, his eyes widening. "Twilight Sparkle?" he asked. "What's this about Twilight Sparkle?" He turned towards Vanguard who gave him a stern look in return. Without saying a word, Vanguard Clash delivered his message: mission first.

The whole group began to head back and Vanguard Clash found Shining Armor walking beside him The unicorn's reaction to Twilight's name was intriguing. He wanted to know how the two were related, but he had a mission to deal with first. Fortunately enough, Shining Armor matched his professionalism.

Before the group could continue ascending the slope they had taken, a cold draft suddenly blew from deeper into the mine. Vanguard pulled out his two-bladed sword. "Fenrir's hide," he growled. "Looks like they're not done yet!"

Shining Armor raised his barrier again, this time covering all sides of the tunnel to make sure that their enemies came at the front. Vanguard considered asking for individual shields, but he doubted Shining Armor's ability to maintain so many as well as the shielded pony's ability to move once inside those things. Even what they were doing now was a flawed defense. These things could go under the ground and then emerge from behind them where Shining Armor's barrier didn't cover. He hoped that the enemy wasn't particularly good with strategy or adapting.

The cold intensified as the wind picked up. An eerie, high-pitched howl assaulted the groups ears, leaving them wondering if it came from the ghosts or merely the distorted sound of the wind passing through the mine's tunnels.

Then they came.

First was the same swarm of shadowy ghosts that they had thought they had driven back. This time, the shadows didn't attack. They swarmed about in front of the group like a black cloud of angry bees. Everypony raised their weapons and the unicorns refreshed their enchantments. That there seemed to be even more of the things was not lost on them.

"This rebellion ends here!"

The voice boomed from the far end of the tunnels, shaking the entire tunnel. Bits of dust from the ceiling fell on Vanguard Clash. He didn't have time to pay too much attention, however. He could see something approaching. The lights from the crystals at the far end seemed to be extinguishing themselves at first until he realized that it wasn't the crystals. A great darkness was heading for them.

"Forepony!" one of the shadows wailed.

The blackness seemed to coat the sides of the tunnel at first. Then it extended like living ink, coalescing right in the middle of the swarming ghosts. A second later, an enormous shadowy unicorn filled the tunnel. This was no mere shadow, however. It erupted into a blaze of black fire. Even from a distance, Vanguard could feel the cold radiating from the thing. Also, unlike the smaller versions, this one had a pair of "eyes". Two orbs of blue flame shone from its head. "The forepony," he muttered. "Maybe if we take it down, the others will scatter for good."

"Or we could get ourselves surrounded and killed while committing to that attack," Shining Armor replied. He watched as Moontail cast his fire spell at the enormous shadow. The stream of flame struck true, but barely seemed to hurt its target, quashing any notion of defeating the thing head on. In response, the giant shadow let out a ferocious wail that sent the walls shaking. More bits of dust fell on them from the ceiling. "We have to get out of here!" he said. "It's going to collapse this tunnel over us!"

"Come on!" Bad Arc shouted. The others made a run for it while he and Scarlet Rabbit fired their enchanted bolts at the shadows. Shining Armor dismissed his barrier and started to retreat as well. The enormous blazing shadow took in the bolts fired at it as if the pegasi had been firing at a pool of ink. It wailed again, shaking the tunnel some more.

"Look out!" Vanguard shouted. A large section of the ceiling broke loose and threatened to drop right on top of Shining Armor. He dove for it and pushed the unicorn out of the way. The chunk of rubble broke through the floor leaving behind a gaping crevice as it continued to fall. A network of cracks quickly spread from the initial hole.

"Captain!" Scarlet rabbit shouted. He was about to fly forward when Bad Arc held him back. The giant shadow had grown tired of the two of them shooting at it and was heading their way. They had no choice but to fly back and join the rest of the group.

Both Vanguard and Shining Armor got to their hooves. Fortunately for them, the other shadows were still swirling about, seemingly uncaring about anything other than watching the giant one attack. Vanguard was about to take step forward when he looked to the ground. There were cracks all over the place. Suddenly, he found himself in one of the rare moments in his life when he cursed at his armor's weight. Though the two of them stood still in desperation, the cracks started spreading rapidly.

Sure enough, the entire floor around them gave way, sending the two plummeting into the chasm beneath.

* * *

><p>"Damn it!" Scarlet Rabbit shouted as they continued to run back up the tunnel. Behind them, the giant blazing shadow continued to give chase leaving him no chances at even looking back to see what had happened to Vanguard Clash and Shining Armor.<p>

The group galloped in a panic while shadows dogged their heels. Bits of barding clattered to the ground as some of the guards tried to make themselves lighter as they ran. One guard cried out as a shadowy hoof brushed against his hind leg. He kept running nonetheless. To slow down was to die. Everypony knew that.

By the time they were running closer to the entrance, their lungs and legs were burning from exertion. The sight of sunlight streaming in from the opening caused the shadows to turn back with one final wail of frustration. Nearly every pony in the group collapsed at the all clear.

"Damn!" Scarlet shouted again. He slammed his front hooves against the ground, sending pebbles scattering. "Damn shadows! Damn falling roof! Just damn!"

"Calm down," Bad Arc said. "We don't know if those two died. The ghosts ignored them remember?"

"Of course they're not dead!" Scarlet said. "The Captain can't die from random encounters." He looked wistfully down the tunnel. "He and that Shining Armor fellow are probably having an adventure this very instant!"

Bad Arc raised an eyebrow. 'Interesting subordinate, Clash,' he muttered. "Right, let's get reinforced and then get back there for them."

* * *

><p>With a groan, Vanguard Clash opened his eyes. At once, he felt around his body to make sure that he was still in one piece. His right shoulder ached badly. He recalled banging it against a ledge while he was falling. The pain was nothing compared to the ache all over his left side. He looked up, trying to find the hole he and Shining Armor had fallen through. He couldn't and that was a bad thing indeed. 'Come on, Clash, time to get a move on,' he told himself.<p>

A groan just a few feet away caught Vanguard's attention. He stood up shakily, glad to know that all four legs were still reliable after that banging he took. "Shining Armor?" he called out. He had caught a brief glimpse of the unicorn guard captain falling with him when the floor gave way.

"Here," Shining Armor replied with another groan. Vanguard walked over to find the unicorn lying on his left side. A chunk of rubble pinned his upper half to the stone floor.

"Hold still," Vanguard said as he set to work on the chunk of rubble. With a grunt, he shoved it aside.

Shining Armor tried to rise as well, only to stumble when he put some weight on his left foreleg. His face crumpled in pain as he dropped to his knees. "I think it's broken," he said almost apologetically.

Vanguard touched the injured leg gingerly. He could still feel the bone as a whole. "Probably just a fracture," he said. "Come on." He offered a shoulder and helped the unicorn stand.

"We're deep in the bowels of a long-abadoned mine, I'm injured, and there's a swarm of pony ghosts still lurking about," Shining Armor said wistfully. "Any ideas, Captain Vanguard Clash?"

"Let's go look for that Crystal Grave," Vanguard replied without missing a step. He continued to support the injured leg as he walked next to the unicorn. "We should try to secure it at least. With any luck, it might be the key to completely defeating those ghosts."

"Maybe we should sit here and wait for the others," Shining Armor suggested. "We might just get hopelessly lost or outmatched if we keep going."

"We're more likely to be cornered by ghosts if we stay in one spot. We should also consider that the others may believe we're dead and reinforcements won't be sent anytime soon."

Shining Armor smiled wryly and limped on.

The two of them looked around. The floor was littered with bones, fragments of barding, ancient mining equipment, and rubble from the ceiling above. Vanguard inspected one of the broken picks. The handle had shattered and the sharp point was discolored by what was likely dried blood. It was no difficult guess to say that this tool had not been used for mining in its last moments. As before, crystals embedded into the rock walls provided them with a reliable light source. Unfortunately for the two, they had fallen into a chamber with multiple tunnels leading out of it.

"We should keep descending," Vanguard said. "If Princess Platinum hid something valuable in this wretched mine of hers, she most likely hid it in the deepest parts."

Shining Armor nodded. The two of them agreed on a tunnel to take and began to walk. Progress was painfully slow as well as outright painful for Shining Armor. Though Vanguard did his best, each stepped jarred him ever so slightly and that wasn't even counting what was likely the pain of suddenly being a burden.

After what seemed like an hour of following a steadily descending tunnel, Vanguard suddenly stopped. "Let's take a rest," he said.

"I can still go on," Shining Armor said defensively.

"It's not a matter of being able to go on. It's a matter of being ready if something is waiting for us at the end of this tunnel. You're sweating from exertion and, to be honest, I'm tiring myself."

"Fine. A quick break then."

The two of them sat with their backs against the cool, stone walls. Fortunately for them, both their water canteens survived the fall. As they took their mouthfuls, they also had to consider that they only had a limited amount of time to spend in this place before thirst became a serious issue.

"So," Shining Armor said after swallowing a mouthful of water and replacing his canteen's cap. "How do you know Twilight Sparkle?"

"We've worked together," Vanguard replied.

That answer alone seemed to gnaw at Shining Armor. Vanguard wondered if the unicorn didn't like the idea of Twilight working with legionnaires. He had to have expected it since she had been banished and was probably making the best out of a very bad situation. Still, the question made Vanguard wonder how Twilight and the other had been received back in the Heartland. Was there a joyous reunion or were they considered tainted ponies?

"Is she Special Operations like you?" Shining Armor asked.

"No. Well…" Vanguard recalled Twilight's request back in FangBreaker Fortress. He may have painted himself to a corner. If Twilight still insisted in joining, he would be hard pressed to say no, especially with the pressure on him to get his squad back to full strength.

"Well…what?"

"It's nothing. You seem particularly concerned about her. How do you know Twilight Sparkle?"

"She's my younger sister."

It was Vanguard's turn to be a bit disturbed. "Twilight never told me that she had a brother."

Shining Armor snorted in amusement. "Don't take it badly," he said. "She didn't tell her best friends about me until I invited them to my wedding. Anyway, how did you meet her?"

"She fell out of the sky and landed on my vice captain."

Shining Armor chuckled a bit. "Thank you," he said. "That means you were among the first ponies she met when she went to that place and she's managed to make it back safely."

"Save your thanks for until you've heard the whole truth, Captain Shining Armor," Vanguard replied. Shining Armor looked at him questioningly, but he refused to pursue that thread of conversation for now. "She's a good pony, your sister."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Vanguard avoided looking at Shining Armor. He did have some things to say that the unicorn probably didn't know, but he didn't bother saying it. Shining Armor likely wouldn't believe him anyway. After several more minutes, he helped the unicorn stand up. "Let's keep going," he said.

The tunnel began to descend sharply, forcing them to go even slower just to make sure that they didn't lose their footing. It was noticeably getting colder as they descended as well. They tensed as they kept walking, expecting the giant shadowy unicorn to emerge as they went on. It seemed like an unwarranted fear, however. After what felt like a couple of hours of navigating the tunnels, nothing had shown up. They had continued descending and they were instinctively following the cold. When they took one side tunnel and felt it becoming warmer, they double backed and took another one.

After what felt like another hour, they noticed another thing. The narrow passages were getting wider. As they continued to follow the passageway, they noticed an eerie grayish-blue light shining from the end of it. Vanguard's weapon was firmly clamped in his jaws and Shining Armor's horn was aglow as the light came closer. When they reached the end of the passageway, however, the both of them stopped in awe.

The passageway opened up to a massive, brightly-lit chamber. The ceiling was nearly high enough not to be seen. Instead of a natural cavern floor, they were faced with a carefully cut and polished gemstone floor. The walls were worked white stone, polished to the point that they felt like glass.

Then there was the gigantic crystal that dominated the cavern.

The two could only stare at the thing: a blue-gray crystal that appeared as a sphere first until they got a better view of the thousands of facets on it. It was a massive object, easily twenty feet in height. It was suspended in mid-air by some sort of magic that also rotated it very slowly. It wasn't the size, beauty or strangeness of the crystal that held the two immobile however. As they continued to stare, they began that there was something inside the crystal, some vaguely familiar shape…

Both Vanguard and Shining Armor tore their eyes away from the crystal long enough to look around for danger. As they had feared, dark shapes began to swirl towards the crystal from the ceiling. Their first reaction was to immediately back down the tunnel to try and hide. One by one, the shadowy unicorns surrounded the thing silently. They had not been noticed it seemed.

"Is that the Crystal Grave?" Shining Armor whispered. "What do you think it has to do with those ghosts?"

"Maybe the name is more literal than we expected," Vanguard whispered back. The hidden archives mentioned that it was a giant mana battery, but he had never seen a mana battery of that appearance. And that thing inside...perhaps there was more to this thing than what had been mentioned.

The giant form of "the forepony" emerged from the ceiling, joining the smaller ones in circling the crystal.

"Any plan on what we do now?" Shining Armor asked.

Vanguard smiled wryly. "Didn't quite expect to make it here without complications," he admitted.

Shining Armor focused on the crystal, likely going through his spells for something useful.

"Shining Armor," Vanguard said.

"Huh?"

"How long can you hold that barrier of yours?"

"Days if I have to."

"Think you can encapsulate that crystal?"

"I could if it doesn't react badly to magic and-!"

Shining Armor quickly silenced himself as one of the shadows swirled nearby. The shape had no visible eyes like the giant one, but both of them could tell that it was looking around. It stopped mid-flight and then slowly hovered towards where they were. Vanguard felt his heart race. This was it. They would be discovered and slain.

"Do it," Vanguard said. With that, he sprang from their hiding place and made a run for the crystal. The ghosts sent up a wail and began to congregate around him. Something must be tying these ghosts here, especially since they were killed so long ago. Something called "Crystal Grave" was a good candidate. That they were constantly swirling around the crystal helped confirm that theory. Behind him, Shining Armor cursed and then hobbled as close as he could get to the crystal.

With the ghosts chasing after Vanguard, Shining Armor began to concentrate on the crystal. The purplish light of his barrier began to surround the thing easily enough. Halfway through the spell, however, the barrier slowed down, as if encountering some invisible resistance.

"Any time now, Shining Armor!" Vanguard shouted. He ran zigzags across the massive cavern with ghosts in hot pursuit. The giant shadow was starting to descend upon him as well.

Three quarters of the spell in, Vanguard took a quick glance at his ally. Shining Armor was sweating profusely despite the cold and was forced to close one eye when a trickle went over it. He looked as if he was trying to push a boulder up an almost vertical slope.

"Shining Armor!" Vanguard yelled again. He was surrounded now and was waving his two-bladed sword desperately to keep his foes at bay.

After what felt like an eternity of struggling, Shining Armor finished his spell. The ghosts gave a long, dolorous wail and then dissipated like smoke.

Panting, Vanguard walked over to Shining Armor. "Cutting it a little close, Unicorn Guard Captain?" he asked.

"You're not a frozen corpse are you?" Shining Armor replied. "That's good enough."

"How are you holding up?"

"It's easier now that I actually completed it. Still, I hope our reinforcements have some willow bark with them." Shining Armor stared at the crystal. "I have to say I'm glad that my wife and my sister hadn't gone deep enough to encounter these things when they were stuck in the mines," he said.

Vanguard didn't reply. That was a curious incident that Shining Armor casually mentioned. Perhaps he could hear more about it once they were safe. Twilight Sparkle wouldn't have been able to proceed deeper anyway. Their group encountered Lexarius's protective seal while they were descending and had to use an incantation to attune themselves to it and pass through.

Without any threats so close, the two of them could now focus on staring at the crystal. Just as they had thought, there was something inside it. They could make out a large, pony-shaped figure. They could see a long horn…wings…


	19. The Nature of Ponies

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 19: The Nature of Ponies**

For Rarity, standing on the deck of an airship brought back memories of Canterlot. The cool night breeze blew her mane and tail about a little too strongly for her taste, but that was because she was on a smaller vessel designed for quick transport rather than a luxury yacht. They had emerged from Everfree late in the evening with the coffin and the tome in tow. The airship was just a short walk outside Ponyville. By the time they took to the air, it was almost midnight.

Still, just the feel of being on deck was good enough to remember those times. It also helped that she was flying on "The Night Skimmer", an airship donated to the Legion by none other than Fleur de lis, the widow of Fancy Pants, whose yacht was the same one she had ridden on before.

The thought of Fancy Pants darkened Rarity's mood. Captain Nightcanter had earlier mentioned his death at the hooves of mind-controlled legionnaires while explaining how Special Operations got their hooves on the airship. It just wasn't right that the end of a good pony would be delivered so offhandedly by that mare.

Rarity was still reeling from the news. Before that, she had been thinking about how he would react to the reality of the Barrier Lands and how his influence among the nobility would carry through. She even thought that he would probably be among the first of the nobles to step up and take arms. Now, she would never know. That such a good pony with so much potential would be struck down somewhere and be just an item in a Legion report left her aimlessly angry. She knew better than to blame Nightcanter, or those legionnaires that had struck him down. All she had was the distant, unreachable figure of Black Rose. It was for this reason that she chose to remain above deck while the others rested inside. No need to make them worry or expose them to a bad mood.

Despite that incident, Fleur de lis had donated the Night Skimmer to the Legion as a gesture of goodwill when it became known that they were looking to modify a few airships. "It would have been what he wanted," she had apparently said. Rarity agreed with that reason although she thought that it was doubly generous considering that Fleur's husband was killed by legionnaires.

The Night Skimmer, of course, was already modified to suit the Legion's needs. It was lightly armored and outfitted with Barrier Lands metal working. One of the crew members had been talking about that combination earlier. Heartland engine design surpassed the war balloons used in the Western and Southern Legions which allowed for bigger and faster vessels, but its overall metal working quality was inferior to that of the Barrier Lands. The newly arrived Barrier Lands engineers were horrified to find out that the chosen routinely replaced their metal parts after only a short time due to wear and tear. They were happy to work with chosen engineers in combining Night Skimmer was the first to be outfitted by their collaborations after only a few days and it was granted to Special Operations as a means of quick transport.

Right now, the airship was on its first mission: transporting Special Operations's Sixth Squad, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and some important objects to Canterlot. Rarity continued to watch as the silhouettes of the towers of the Heartland's capital drew ever closer. This wasn't how she imagined her next trip to Canterlot would be. They were supposed to be still on a break, but all of them just felt like they should be with the things they discovered when they were brought to the attention of the royalty. All Rarity could do was bid her family a hasty farewell and promise them that she would return as quickly as possible before boarding the airship.

"Hey there," somepony suddenly said from behind.

Rarity easily recognized the voice. "Good evening, Captain Nightcanter," she replied. She kept her tone polite even though she didn't relish having to deal with the mare at the moment. To her mild annoyance, Nightcanter moved over to stand right next to her.

"So...Rarity was it?" Nightcanter said after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes."

"Are you also throwing yourself tail-first at Vanguard?"

"What?" For a second, Rarity simply stared at Nightcanter to see if the mare had meant what she said. When it became apparent that she did, Rarity frowned and let out a sharp, scandalized gasp. "Goodness, no! Captain Clash is a good stallion, but he's far too rough and grim for me."

"Oh. And here I was thinking that all six of you were in on the action," Nightcanter said wistfully. She looked up at the night sky, quietly speculating.

Rarity stared hard at Nightcanter. "Please stop thinking about what I think you're thinking," she said. "I'm starting to feel dirty."

Nightcanter let out a chuckle. "Alright, I'll save it for later," she said. "How about we talk about you?"

"I'm just a simple dressmaker from a small town, Captain Nightcanter, nothing you should concern yourself about."

"No, you're Legionnaire Rarity of Logistics's Armory Division, apprentice to Master Smith Hammer Chain, Bearer of the Element of Generosity and currently the only pony to be able to properly wield mage blades in centuries." Nightcanter let herself smile. "Did I get all that right?" she asked.

"Wasn't it just hours ago when you were calling me 'white unicorn'?"

"Oh, that's just me having a little fun. I saw you stab Foxfire before she could get a spell out, withdraw your blade and then wipe it clean without missing a beat. I liked what I saw. You know, with Fourth Squad gone, we've got a lot of openings in Special Operations. I could put in a good word for you."

Rarity studied Nightcanter carefully, trying to ascertain if the mare was teasing again."I appreciate the offer," she said. "However, I'm not planning on making a career of this." She looked to one of her saddlebags and lifted her mage blades with telekinesis so that they hovered just in front of her. "One day, I shall lock these up in a display case and then return to making dresses." She paused briefly, envisioning that time. "And maybe some weapons on armor on the side. Moving up the ranks, especially with a group that delves into secrets like Special Operations, will only make walking away more difficult."

Nightcanter's smile widened a bit more. "Not a lifer, hm? I'll just have to respect that."

Rarity was quietly speculative for a while. She liked that idea she just came up with. 'Carousel Boutique and Smithy,' she thought. 'Fabulous outfits for balls and battles alike.' She set that aside for later. "Would you mind if I asked you something personal, Captain Nightcanter?" she asked.

"Sure, go ahead."

Rarity's lips pressed into a grim line before speaking. "Four of your comrades just died and yet here you are smiling and looking for their replacements. Doesn't it bother you?"

"About as much as it bothered you when you stabbed Foxfire without hesitation,"

"That was different!" Rarity retorted. "I was defending Pinkie Pie!"

"Go ahead and nuance as much as you like," Nightcanter said calmly. "It's not 'killer instinct' if that's what's bothering you. More like a really good sense of should be glad to have it."

"This isn't about me," Rarity replied.

Nightcanter sidled a little closer, much to Rarity's discomfort. "Sure it is." she said. "You're asking me why losing comrades doesn't bother me so much as a roundabout way to find out why your first kill doesn't bother you."

"What?" Rarity asked as she moved away.

Nightcanter snorted in amusement and then shifted her gaze to the night sky. "I've got an analogy for that sort of thing. Want to hear it?"

"I will anyway, won't I?"

"Yes. Anyway, it goes like this. Some ponies are like rag bags. Everything inside a rag bag is all jumbled up and connected. You throw something like a severed head in there, the blood will seep into the whole bag. By the time you open it, everything smells like severed head. When ponies like that kill, they have to let it affect everything. They wax philosophical about how the world works and what they truly are as a pony. Ponies like you, me, and maybe that Rainbow Dash, we're more like compartmentalized boxes. You put a severed head in there and it gets its own little space. The blood doesn't seep anywhere and the stink doesn't spread. There are no deep and dark realizations, no life-changing revelations. Just one more thing we have to do."

Rarity's frown deepened as she focused on the passing scenery. "I am nothing like that," she said.

"Sure you are," Nightcanter said. "Ponies like you and me, we're just particularly neat about this whole killing and dying business." She started to walk away. "I'm going to get myself a little snack before we dock. Want to come along?"

"I think I'll stay a while longer," Rarity replied. "I like the view."

Nightcanter gave one last glance at Rarity. "So do I," she said as she left.

"Captain Nightcanter!" Rarity called out. She caught the other unicorn just as the door to the inner cabins had opened. "I've learned a thing or two in my lifetime as well. You may have a point, but nopony is as neat as your box analogy. No matter how much they wish for it."

Nightcanter waved a hoof and then walked off. "If you say so, Rarity," she said.

Rarity tucked away a bit of mane that got in her face as the night breeze continued to blow.

* * *

><p>Despite the ordeal that he had just been through, Vanguard was up with the dawn. He walked through one hallway of the Royal Palace urgently, having just heard that Sixth Squad had arrived just after midnight. To his dismay, he had also heard that Twilight and her friends had come along. "Two weeks to be with your friends and family and you barely use up half," Vanguard muttered. "What are you doing, Twilight Sparkle?"<p>

"Clash!"

Vanguard looked ahead and found Shining Armor. The guard captain stood straight on all four of his legs. About a couple of hours before midnight, the rest of their group found them inside the Grave Crystal's chamber. With several unicorn magi taking Shining Armor's place, it was quick trip to the surface after that. Princess Luna herself had come over to see to the injured guard captain and it took less than half an hour to mend the fracture. "Armor," Vanguard said. The two of them walked together as they headed for the chamber where the coffin of Starswirl the Bearded was being kept. "Good to see you up and about." he said. "Have you seen your sister yet?"

"No," Shining Armor replied. "I'm probably about to if this Starswirl the Bearded thing is real."

After a few more minutes of walking, the two entered the chamber. The coffin, along with the book, had been placed where the Elements of Harmony used to be stored. Guards and legionnaires were posted by the door as well as several points along the halls they had walked past. Inside, they found Twilight Sparkle by herself.

"Twiley!" Shining Armor exclaimed. He walked forward to give his sister a hug. Twilight brightened in response and the two hugged tightly. A few seconds later, Shining Armor suddenly looked as if there was something wrong. That point was hammered in when his "sister", with her nose still pressed against his chest, took a long, not too sisterly inhale. He pushed her back with a frown on his face and held her at leg's length.

Vanguard stepped forward and then took a few sniffs at the air. He quickly recognized the scent. "That's enough foaling around, Captain Nightcanter," he said. "Let's go back to acting like professionals."

The image of Twilight Sparkle shimmered and then dissolved from her head to her legs, revealing a dark blue coat and a mane of purple ringlets. "I wasn't foaling around," she said with a mock pout. "He said that he was more vigilant against impostors and I wanted to test him myself!"

"I'm sure," Vanguard said dryly. They looked behind them as the doors to the chamber opened again. This time, it was the real Twilight Sparkle and her friends who entered.

* * *

><p>"Shining Armor!" Twilight said cheerily. The smile quickly faded when she saw Nightcanter's proximity to her brother. In a heartbeat she was standing between the two and glaring at Nightcanter a sheepish smile, Nightcanter backed off.<p>

"It's great to see you alright, Twiley." Shining Armor said.

The two of them hugged and some of the cheer returned to Twilight's demeanor. "How's mom and dad?" she asked.

"You should go see them, they'll feel a lot better once you do."

Twilight noted her brother's indirect answer. She had to see her parents as soon as possible. Perhaps she should have gone straight to Canterlot after all. She glanced towards Vanguard to see how he was doing.

"So what happened down there?" Vanguard asked Applejack. He had a frown on his face as he listened carefully while Applejack recounted how Nightcanter had gone ahead and taken them along on a dangerous mission. The look on his face was enough indication that he was going to have a talk with his fellow captain. Twilight wondered if that would accomplish anything with somepony like Nightcanter.

The conversations stopped as all three of Equestria's royalty entered the chamber. All of them knelt, keeping their gazes averted as the three took a look at the coffin and the tome.

"Starswirl the Bearded," Terrato said. "I never thought he'd be involved in this." He gestured offhandedly for everypony to rise. He then walked over to the tome and flipped through the pages. "Old Kingdom script. Just our luck."

"He should be given a proper burial," Celestia said as she looked over the coffin, "not put on display like this."

"I'll build him a tomb myself, after we find out what Clover the Clever was up to with his body," Terrato replied.

Luna's horn was already glowing as she inspected the coffin. "Big brother, there's more to this coffin than just being a container. I think...I think there are still traces of him still clinging to it!"

"What?" Twilight gasped. She walked over to the coffin to get a better look. "How's that possible?"

Luna concentrated on her magic for a few more seconds. "Not him entirely," she replied. "It's most likely that his soul has gone over to the Eternal Herd. What we have are strong feelings and memories bound strongly to the earth." She looked over to her brother. "Big brother, Necromancy is your domain, could you reveal what these traces are?"

Terrato walked closer to the coffin and cast some spells of his own. "Lingering memories and a strong desire," he said. "I can project them if you want." When he saw both of his sisters nod, he cast another spell. The coffin glowed with grayish light before projecting a large image on the floor. Everypony stepped back as the image covered a great portion of the floor's center.

Twilight winced as she looked on. She wanted to see this. It was a memory from Starswirl the Bearded himself. Yet, the thought of finding out that he was as awful as Clover the Clever was horrifying.

The image showed a small wooden table up close. From the way the perspective shifted about, Twilight guessed that the image came from the eyes of somepony, likely Starswirl the Bearded himself. As she looked on, the image shifted to the right, showing a light purple mare wearing what seemed to be a hooded cloak made of burlap. A clay mug floated in front of the unicorn mare, which she placed on the table. She opened her mouth to say something, but Twilight couldn't understand a word that came out.

"Luna," Terrato said. "Think you can apply a translation spell on the projection?"

Luna didn't reply but her horn glowed brightly as swirls of her magic surrounded the coffin.

_"-tea, Clover, but why did you bring me all the way out here?"_

Twilight couldn't help but shudder upon hearing the deep, aging voice that must surely belong to Starswirl.

_"I wanted to talk to you without all the others around, master."_ Clover said.

_"Then speak, pupil of mine."_

_"I want you to reconsider your stance towards our people's use of the Deep Father's power."_

_"No. I've already developed a spell to cut off his influence and I'm closing in on the source. It was an evil thing you and your companions did by calling upon the Deep Father, Clover, I only agreed to it because it was the lesser evil compared to the Windigos utterly destroying us. Now, it must be cut away before it infects us all."_

_"It was the Deep Father's power that destroyed the Windigos!"_ Clover said angrily. She gestured to the landscape behind her. A great plain of green grass stretched out to the horizon. A wide river of crystal clear water snaked its way across the plain and towards some distant mountains. _"Thanks to him, we have been granted this land to settle!"_

_"His power destroyed the Windigos with ease because they too were spawned of it. Do you still not understand, Clover? You and your companions toy with the same force that would have annihilated all of ponykind."_

_"Ponykind itself spawned from the Deep Father's power,"_ Clover insisted. _"It is in our nature to attune to it! Our ancestors turned their backs to it and fled so the Windigos eventually came to punish us. But if we embrace that power..."_

_"...we will be destroyed. Why can't you understand this, Clover? Are you not called 'the Clever' for a reason?"_

Clover the Clever didn't respond right away. Her expression darkened as she stared at Starswirl. Twilight could feel her heart race. Something was wrong with this scene. As if to confirm her suspicions, the image suddenly shook slightly and then blurred.

_"What have you done, Clover?"_

_"Isn't it a strange sight?"_ Clover said calmly. _"The unicorn who developed both the poison detection spell and the detoxification spell is now dying of poisoning."_

The image shook violently and sparks of magical energy appeared around the edges.

_It's too late to cast anything now,_ Clover said with a hint of glee._ "The first thing that poison attacks is your magic. After that, it's a very, very slow death. Am I clever enough for you, master?"_

_"Heh..."_

The glee disappeared from both Clover's face and tone. _"What's so funny, old pony? Are you having another one of your fits of whimsy? Are you going to make another silly spell or add more bells to your outfit before you die?"_

_"How long have you been working on this poison, Clover?"_ The labored breathing in Starswirl's voice made Twilight's chest ache. She grit her teeth and cursed silently at Clover the Clever.

_"Years!"_ Clover spat. _"I made the first test when I began to realize that you were only going to hold me back! You and your pointless outfits and your bowl-shaping spells! I knew I had to put you down at some point. The greatest spell caster of his age reduced to a doddering clown. It makes me sick to this day."_ She smiled a little as she went on. _"You should have guarded yourself better. It's only a matter of time before the student overcomes the master. It's the nature of all things."_

_"So Clover the Bashful finally speaks her mind."_

_"You don't seem to be getting what's going on, old pony. You're going to die and I will continue to use the Deep Father's gifts."_

_"I'm an old stallion at the end of his rope to begin with. How much did your poison take away from me? A year? A few months? Tomorrow? You're the one with a lifetime to deal with the consequences of today. As for the Deep Father's 'gifts'..."_ Starswirl stopped to breathe heavily. _"The Deep Father cares nothing for us. We are as mosquitoes to him, trying to nourish ourselves with his blood only to find it full of poison. He does not 'gift' pests."_

_"You would know, wouldn't you?"_

_"Yes, I would. Turn away from this path, my not-so-faithful student, not even my death will make it too late."_

Clover walked forward and her angry, hateful face filled the could see every line on Clover's face and she felt nauseous at the sight of it. _"You're suffering a lingering death and you're still lecturing me! You're still holding me back!"_ She knocked the table over, spilling the drink on the ground. _"This is the end of that, Starswirl the Bearded, Starswirl of the Bells, Starswirl, Father of a Thousand Useless Spells!"_ She smiled fiercely as she went on._ "My spells have already found one of the Deep Father's prime servants. Platinum is already working on digging him out."_

_"Foal!"_ Starswirl gasped. _"That is Regia Carnifex, bearer of the foul weapon itself! Tap into his power and everything will be destroyed!"_

_"How do you know that?"_ Clover asked. Her smile faded as she shook Starswirl. _"How do you know that name, old pony? What else have you been hiding from me?"_

Starswirl didn't respond and the image began to blur. Twilight couldn't bear to watch even if the event had happened long ago. It was clear that Starswirl was dying.

_"No! You don't get to just rest, Starswirl!"_ Clover snarled. Her horn flashed with magic and the image itself became tinged with light purple. _"You may die, but your spirit will remain in that corpse."_ She grinned again. Twilight recognized a desperate attempt at being triumphant. _"It doesn't matter how you know this servant, we will free him and use him. I will be raised to great power and be known for building an everlasting kingdom worthy of the Deep Father's blessings while your legend fades to nothing!"_

_"Foal to the end,"_ Starswirl whispered. The image blurred until Twilight couldn't make out anything. Terrato's spell ended a few seconds later. Silence filled the chamber, everypony in the felt that the death of Starswirl, even if it had happened a long time ago, deserved a few moments of respectful quiet.

It was Terrato who eventually broke that silence. "Regia Carnifex," he said. "I don't recognize the name. What about you, Celestia?"

Celestia shook her head. "He must be one of those who were cast out with Oceanus," she replied. "Starswirl called him 'bearer of the foul weapon'. He must mean the one sealed within the Blasphemous Rift. This Regia Carnifex may have enough affinity with the weapon to blast the seals from the inside." Celestia paused for a while. "How did he know so much?"

"I'll find out," Terrato said darkly. "Leave that to me."

"But the Six Companions failed to release Regia Carnifex," Luna said. "The Old Kingdom was destroyed right?"

Terrato shifted his attention towards the tome. "And that's where this tome and the Grave Crystal comes in. Clover continued to work on freeing him even after Lexarius destroyed the Old Kingdom. This tome likely contains the methods how."

"I will work on reading the tome," Luna offered. "I still remember my studies on the Old Kingdom's language."

Terrato frowned at the suggestion. "There's really no need to" he said. "We just need to keep it from Black Rose. Besides, there's a lot of power invested in it."

"There may be some information we can use," Luna insisted. "I'll be careful, big brother."

"Fine," Terrato replied. "In the meantime, I have to secure that Crystal Grave. If Black Rose succeeds in taking Regia Carnifex's power, she'll have an easy way to get past the Blasphemous Rift's seal."

"Wait!" Twilight suddenly said. The others looked to her in surprise. "Clover the Clever said that she trapped Starswirl in his own body! Is he still trapped in there?"

"No," Terrato said. "Whatever spell she likely used to hold him faded when she died or maybe Lexarius released him before sealing the refuge but his soul has crossed over. Only these lingering memories remain."

"You alright, Twiley?" Shining Armor asked as he looked at Twilight.

Twilight wiped a tear away and nodded. "I'll be fine," she said. "I'm just glad that one of my heroes was actually heroic." She suddenly noticed Princess Luna looking at her.

"Just one, huh?" the princess said softly. Before she could react, Terrato's voice called all their attention.

"Everypony stay sharp," Terrato told them. "We still have a lot more to do."

Twilight nodded with the rest of the ponies in the room. She stared at the floor as if the image of Clover the Clever was still there. 'You're wrong about how things are with teachers and students, Clover,' she thought. 'Your 'everlasting kingdom' was destroyed. You were just a bad student, that's all.'

With that, she joined the others in leaving. There was a lot she wanted to do now that she was in Canterlot.


	20. Dragonkind

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 20: Dragonkind**

_"Spike..."_

_The very familiar voice shook Spike out of his lethargy. "Huh?" he mumbled._

_"Spike, pay attention,"_

_That was Rarity's voice. Spike focused and then realized that he was sitting on a bed in a brightly lit and elaborately decorated room. He recognized the bunch of pony mannequins grouped by one corner and the sewing machine that sat on a nearby table. The bed sheet was decorated with a diamond pattern, as were the walls. "Rarity?" he asked in confusion. "What's going on?"_

_"I brought you here, remember?" Rarity replied. Spike couldn't help but be a little intimidated. She looked quite serious as she stared at him._

_"W-well, what is it then?"_

_"Spike, I'm quite aware that you have certain...feelings for me."_

_"What? But how did you-? I didn't get to say it that time so what could have-?"_

_A hoof stopped his spluttering protests. "And, recently, I've become aware that I'm starting to...feel something similar."_

_"Really?" Spike's jaw dropped._

_"Which is why I brought you here in the privacy of my bedroom so we can explore these feelings properly rather than embarrassing ourselves out on the street or some such thing."_

_"Oh...uh...sure, Rarity. I don't mind talking about my feelings and-!" Spike shuddered and stopped when Rarity's face moved closer to his. She placed both front hooves on his shoulders and gently pushed him on his back._

_"Talking wasn't what I had in mind..."_

_Spike found himself unable to speak. The room seemed to fade into darkness while Rarity's face came closer and closer and...faded into black as well._

Spike still lay there expectantly until the reality of what was happening suddenly settled in. He wasn't on the nice, soft bed of the most beautiful pony in all of Equestria. Instead, he was laying back-first on a hastily put together pile of ursan furs. He now remembered why it was so dark. He was in the deepest part of Seethe Scale's cave. The only bit of light coming in was from the far away entrance.

With a reluctant groan, Spike rose from his bedding and looked around despite how futile that move was. He was in complete darkness. He had been so for the greater portion of his first week. Seethe Scale's cave was deep enough to be far away from its entrance, leaving its inner portions with very little access to sunlight. Given the coming winter, even that was in short supply. For the first couple of days, he relied on the torches positioned along the cave, but, when they burned out, he couldn't find any replacements. When he asked Seethe Scale about getting more, the kirin didn't even bother to reply. He began gathering bits of dead branches from the woods nearby, but the few he collected were far from enough to illuminate the enormous cave.

Indeed, his first week with Seethe Scale could be summed up perfectly by stumbling in the dark. He was now wishing that the kirin was an angry, cursing sort of teacher like Doctor Redbrand. Even that would be something. Seethe Scale didn't shout or growl at him at all, but that was because she would barely even talk to him. He could count on one claw the number of times she would say anything in a day. She hadn't even bothered to set any rules about her lair. The fear of touching something he shouldn't touch or saying something he shouldn't say all but rendered him nearly paralyzed around her.

Instead of talking, Seethe Scale spent hours just lying in the dark quietly. Prince Terrato had mentioned that the kirin "got a little broody at times". The prince had obviously understated that aspect. Seethe Scale brooded nearly all the time next to her small hoard of golden coins and jewelry.

If she wasn't doing that, she was out getting food. She came home with meat most of the time, but, with winter already here, most of the wildlife had gone into hibernation or migrated. On a few occasions, Seethe Scale came back with pickled vegetables from the nearby city of Wallforge. Spike relished the chance to eat something more familiar. Meat was…delicious, he had to admit that. He also had to admit that his pointed teeth were more at home with tearing through meat than grinding plants or gemstones. but he still favored the familiar comforts of food he had grown up with.

That small comfort did little to make his stay with Seethe Scale any more pleasant, however. He continued to wait for some kind of instruction on her part, maybe a test or a lecture, but the week passed with him just awkwardly trying to pass the time. That had to end now. This morning, he was going to talk to Seethe Scale and straighten things out.

The kirin was near the cave's entrance and stretching her wings when Spike approached her. "Um…excuse me," he said. No response came from Seethe Scale. She didn't seem to even hear him, but he already expected that. He had tried several times to talk to the kirin and he knew that it was an uphill battle to even get her to notice him, let alone speak. "Hey!" he said with a much louder voice. "Down here!"

Seethe Scale responded by turning to face Spike. "I heard you," she said. The sunlight from the entrance let him see more of her face than when she just sat in the shadows. The kirin didn't look angry, or even annoyed.

"Listen, um…" Spike twiddled his claws a bit. "I'd understand if you don't like me and didn't want me around your cave. If you don't want to have anything to do with me, just say so. Then, I can just go away and find my way back to the Northern Barrier Land."

There was only silence for some time after Spike said that. "What makes you think that I don't want you around?" Seethe Scale asked after a while.

"Well, I feel like an unwanted guest in your cave for one thing," Spike replied. "I just came here to grow stronger. If you don't-!"

"What I feel or want doesn't matter," Seethe Scale replied. "The prince has given me the task of helping you and I will do so."

"But we haven't done anything in a week! How is just standing around a cave supposed to help me?"

Seethe Scale tilted her head slightly and took a closer look at Spike. "You're upset," she said.

The proximity of the kirin's head took Spike aback. He could pick out some of the wickedly pointed teeth that protruded from her upper lip and he could smell smoke mingling with her breath. "W-well…maybe a little," he replied.

Seethe Scale pulled back before speaking some more. "I needed some time just to get used to having you in my cave," she replied. "Just getting used to your presence and scent has been surprisingly difficult."

"Well, we could still talk right?"

"The process goes two ways. I had to get used to sharing my cave with another and you had to get used to some degree of isolation." Seethe Scale walked out to the sunlight with Spike following close behind. "You've spent too long being a pony," she went on. "Ponies are day-active herd creatures. You share their love of conversation and need for a great deal of light. I've spent too long living like a full dragon. My first instinct when you first entered my cave was to kill you before you got anywhere near my hoard. I was hoping that we can spend some time adjusting; you as a dragon, me as a pony."

"Did it work?" Spike asked quietly. He felt more than a little relieved that all the awkward waiting at least had some purpose behind it.

"I don't know," Seethe Scale replied. "I haven't killed and eaten you. That has to be worth something."

Once more, Spike took notice of rows of pointed teeth in Seethe Scale's mouth. "Don't worry," he said. "It's worth a lot. But did we really need an entire week for th-?" Spike caught himself too late. "N-not to question your methods or anything!"

"Interesting," Seethe Scale said. "Does a week seem that long to you?"

"Well, yeah. Seven days is pretty long."

"For a pony."

"Huh?"

Seethe Scale flexed her wings some more and then looked around. The kirin appeared in deep thought for a couple of minutes. Suddenly, instead of flying off, she sat by the entrance of her cave and gestured for Spike to sit nearby. "A week is nothing to a dragon," she said. "One reason it bothers you is because you're in 'pony time'. Slow down and try to perceive things more as a dragon."

Spike sat just a few feet from the kirin. A week did feel long to him but, now that he thought about it, he was barely used to being around Seethe Scale or living in a cave. "And what's the other reason?" he asked.

"You're waiting for lessons the way ponies teach them," Seethe Scale replied. "You're not here for lessons like some foal in a pony school."

Before Spike could say anything in response, he noticed Seethe Scale's ears perk up and her nostrils flare. She stood up and walked over towards the trail to her cave. "That's far enough," she growled. Spike walked over to see who had arrived and why they were causing this sort of reaction. Mudslide had been allowed to approach the cave's entrance and even talk to the reclusive kirin whereas this visitor was kept at a distance and greeted angrily. Even as he went over to look, however, he had to keep his distance from Seethe Scale. The kirin was projecting a great deal of heat, enough to melt the snow near her. Her white fur bristled while her eyes began to light up as if they had small flames within them.

"G-greetings, mighty Seethe Scale!" someone said from down the trail. Spike looked more closely and saw a group of five ponies; two of whom were pulling a wagon behind them while the other three led the way. The lead pony, a green unicorn with a long, curly mane of bright yellow had stepped forward to speak for their group. Though he stumbled with his opening words at first, he carried himself with a degree of confidence despite being faced with an obviously angry and enormous kirin.

"Deliveries have been already made," Seethe Scale said, her tone low and dangerous. "I don't like ponies being this close to my home." She snorted, causing a brief stream of dark red flame to billow from her nostrils.

"We mean no disrespect," the lead pony said. He bowed low to emphasize his point and the others followed his example. "We are here on behalf of Mayor Gold Plate."

Seethe Scale's anger didn't abate. "Leave," she said.

"We will, mighty Seethe Scale," the lead pony said. He gestured towards the covered wagon behind him. At once, the two ponies who were not pulling the wagon trotted over and removed its cover. On it was a sizable pile of gold coins and jewels. Spike wiped some drool off his mouth. "All we ask is that you accept this tribute from the mayor in honor of your constant vigil over Wallforge."

Seethe Scale looked the wagon over, a low growl resounding within her throat. "I said leave," she told the ponies. They unfastened the wagon and departed hastily after one final bow. Spike could hear their hard gallop as they made their way back to the city. Seethe Scale grabbed hold of the wagon and lifted it with ease, placing the entire thing in front of him. "It's yours," she said with a snort. "Eat what you want and bury what's left somewhere outside my cave."

Spike's mouth watered some more as he clambered over the wagon. The gems in the pile sparkled temptingly. He took a particularly impressive sapphire and was about to pop it into his mouth when he looked over to Seethe Scale. The kirin no longer looked angry as she watched the trail to her home. "Are you sure I can have this?" he asked.

"Yes," Seethe Scale replied.

"But why? Those ponies gave these to you for watching over them!"

"No," Seethe Scale said flatly. "Wallforge elections are coming up and Gold Plate wants a show of support." She looked at Spike as if to explain herself further, but she changed her mind. Instead, she watched with interest as Spike inspected his new hoard. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Great!" Spike replied as she looked over the gems. "Thank you for giving all of these to me!"

Seethe Scale continued to quietly observe for some more. Now aware of the kirin's scrutiny, Spike tried to focus on eating, but he glanced nervously back at Seethe Scale several times before finally turning around. "Um…do you need something?" he asked.

"Your temperance is surprising," Seethe Scale remarked. "Do you not feel any urge to collect more treasure after gaining such a large hoard?"

"What? Oh, no! I'm done with that! One hoarding spree is enough for me!"

"I see…did you grow at an alarming rate during that time?"

"Yup, I turned into a real monster for a day."

"Tell me how it all happened." Seethe Scale walked over and lay down just a few feet away from Spike. He related the whole incident, although he was careful enough to avoid mentioning his interrupted attempt to confess his feelings for Rarity or anything to that regard.

Throughout the story, Seethe Scale listened intently. "This Rarity…do you love her?" she asked.

Spike's eyes widened. "No!" he protested. Then he clamped both claws on his mouth. "I mean, how'd you- I mean why'd you say that?"

"The tone you take and the look on your face say it all," Seethe Scale replied. "You may as well wear a shirt with her face on it."

"That's not a bad thing is it?" Spike asked. "I mean, I'd understand if you don't like the thought of it because…well…"

"Why should what I think matter? Are you going to force yourself on this Rarity, then make her bear a kirin foal?"

"What? Of course not! I would never think of doing such a thing to her!"

"Then you decide for yourself what to make of your feelings. Spend more time understanding your dragon aspect and then look at your relationships. I will say this, however. This Rarity has been a good influence to you. She's taught you to control your gluttony, lust and greed. From your story, you've successfully overcome your Appetite Phase thanks to her."

Spike smiled at the thought of Rarity being able to help him overcome something. It was true. He had reverted to normal during that time thanks to her. What Seethe Scale had mentioned intrigued him however. "What's this Appetite Phase?" he asked.

"It's the first of the phases that dragons go through in their life time. Dragons in this phase of their lives are overcome by lust, gluttony, or greed, whichever resides within them the strongest. If your greed had defined you strongly enough, you would have remained a Greed Dragon for the rest of your life."

"What about the other phases?"

"The Expression Phase which tests your pride, wrath, or envy. If you are still not defined by these things, you will go through the Apathy Phase, which guarantees that you'll turn into a Sloth Dragon."

"Is that it?" Spike asked glumly. "Are dragons always defined by bad things?"

"Supposedly..." Seethe Scale stopped herself.

"Supposedly what?"

"Don't concern yourself too much about these things. They will come in time and what sort of dragon you are will be revealed." Seethe Scale stood up and flapped her wings. "I have to go for now," she said. "Stay in the cave as always." With that, she flew off.

Although still confused, Spike popped the first gem into his mouth and savored the crunch against his teeth. He grabbed a handful of gems to snack on, then began looking around for a good hiding place. He doubted that there would be any thieves willing to risk approaching the home of a clearly territorial half-dragon, but he wasn't going to risk this bounty. With this pile, he may not have to eat anymore meat.

It was already sunset when Seethe Scale returned. During that time, Spike had kept himself busy burying his new loot all around the cave. The frozen ground was difficult to dig up, even for his practiced claws. He had also reflected upon how Seethe Scale behaved around ponies. By the time she arrived, he had questions already rehearsed. He stood there by his space in the cave and quietly watched her, trying to find some kind of sign that it was a good idea to speak up. "Um…Seethe Scale?" he finally ventured to say.

The kirin lay down by her bed before looking at Spike. "How is your vision?" she suddenly asked.

"It's fine, thanks, I just-" Spike paused. Fine? He looked around. He should be completely blind in this cave, but he wasn't. Seethe Scale lay there in plain sight. He could see the cave as a whole now, albeit in various shades of gray. "W-what's going on?" he asked. "I can see in the dark, but it's all weird and gray!"

"Hatchlings develop that much earlier," Seethe Scale said. "Yours was hindered by spending too much time out in the light. Did you think that dragons would prefer the darkness of caves if they had to rely on illumination?"

"This is…" Spike looked around and walked forward. He could see even the small pebbles by his feet in detail. "This is pretty cool," he said.

"A week spent well I suppose," Seethe Scale said.

Spike suddenly found himself enthusiastic. "So what are we going to do next?" he asked.

"Sleep."

Spike ended up waking early the next day. It was barely dawn when he was walking about the cave, marveling at his new-found ability. He picked up a pebble and inspected it, picking out individual grooves and niches on it just for fun.

"Cute," Seethe Scale said softly from behind him. "You're acting like a hatchling given his very first bauble."

Spike tossed the pebble away in embarrassment. "I can't help it," he said. "I've never been able to do something like this."

"Darkvision has its uses," Seethe Scale said as she rose from her bed. "You're lucky to still be able to develop it."

"So what are we doing now?" Spike asked.

"We're going out. I'm taking you with me this time. Before we go, we must go over a few rules."

Spike felt a measure of relief at the mention of rules. That was one more familiarity he could take comfort in. "What are they?" he asked.

"Anywhere in the Western Barrier Land outside my cave, I will refer to you as 'Seifralhadar'. You must answer to this name only and not your real one. The ponies you've encountered in Wallforge have been similarly warned."

"What's wrong with 'Spike'?" Spike asked.

"It's not a dragon name. If the Draco'dim and their agents find out, you'll die along with whoever gave you that name."

Any enthusiasm Spike had was quickly crushed by this new worry. "Draco-what?" he asked. "Who are they and why should they care about my name?"

"They are currently the strongest and most influential group within dragonkind," Seethe Scale said. "We shouldn't have too much trouble with them thanks to the Heartland purge keeping them busy."

"So they're sort of the dragon rulers and-hey, what do you mean by Heartland purge?"

Seethe Scale looked grimly towards the outside of her cave. "Of course you haven't heard. With the barrier down, the Draco'dim are extending their influence towards the Heartland. A purge is already on the way."

"And by purge you mean-!"

"Yes, killing."

Spike paused for a moment, outrage temporarily taking away his ability to talk. He remembered all the dragons he had ever encountered in the Heartland. None of those encounters had at all been pleasant. The dragons of the Heartland had attacked and bullied him, but for them to be killed just didn't seem right. " We've got to stop them," he said. "Equestria will never allow dragons to be killed just like that!"

"You're wrong," Seethe Scale replied. Her emotionless tone ran counterpoint to Spike's angry words. "Equestria will allow it. The Draco'dim's methods may be harsh, but Equestria stands only to benefit from their actions."

"What? Why?"

"The Draco'dim enforce many rules among dragons. Among them is the rule of not eating ponies and leaving their settlements alone so long as they don't monopolize resources. Without the Draco'dim, the Legion will have to deal with more than just your occasional rampaging greed dragon."

"So all of Equestria will just let these Draco'dim kill as many dragons as they like?"

"Yes."

Spike stamped his foot as hard as he could, that it barely made a sound against the cave's stone floor only made him angrier. "But that's not right!"

"Right for whom? It's right for ponies to not want to be eaten."

"What about the dragons?"

"What dragons do to each other is not Equestria's concern." Seethe Scale moved closer towards Spike. There was nothing threatening about her movement, but Spike still felt the urge to back up a bit before looking up at her. "I understand how you feel and you're right. The Draco'dim's continued existence will only continue to hurt dragonkind as a race."

"Then why do you just let it happen?" Spike asked.

"I'm not a dragon. Why should I be bothered if dragons are destroyed by their own pride?" Seethe Scale gazed at Spike intently. "Let the dragons settle this issue among themselves."

"I'm a dragon," Spike said, his tone low and defiant.

"Are you sure? It was only yesterday that you could even use your darkvision." Before Spike could make a retort, Seethe Scale's unicorn horn glowed slightly. "I need to be alone," she said abruptly. "Go outside and prepare yourself. We'll be leaving soon."

* * *

><p>In a huff, Spike left the cave. Once he was out of sight, Seethe Scale pointed her unicorn horn at a cave wall. The projected image of Prince Terrato looked straight at her a few seconds later. "Your highness," she said reverently.<p>

"Hey, Seethe Scale," Terrato said with a smile. "How is your new ward progressing?"

"Faster than expected," Seethe Scale replied.

"And that small detail I mentioned?"

"Also progressing well."

"Good," Terrato's eyes narrowed as he went on. "Some chosen should have arrived in Wallforge by now, have you noticed?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Luna's taken a page from my book by having her own personal eyes among them," Terrato said. There was a tinge of admiration in his tone as well as more than a hint of annoyance. "It's possible that she may try to contact you as well. I don't want my sisters to get wind of your other task. Not yet."

"She will learn nothing save for Spike's condition, your highness."

"Good, and speaking of your other task…"

"Nazhadar and Himfadora have already agreed to your propositions, your highness. I am making headway with the others, but Spike's progress will be crucial."

"I'm counting on you, Seethe Scale."

"I won't fail you."

The image disappeared and Seethe Scale began to walk out to meet her "new ward". As she walked out, the dragon kept his eyes on her. Though he was still a little angry, she noticed something in his gaze that wasn't there when he first entered her cave: trust. "Let's go," she said.


	21. A Rose's Weapons

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 21: A Rose's Weapons**

As more ponies from the Barrier Lands made their way into Canterlot, the initial shock and worry that the citizens met them began to be replaced with a mixture of feelings: curiosity, resignation, suspicion, even enthusiasm. The nobles remained doubtful, even when Princess Celestia picked out some of them to be teleported to the Barrier Lands. The middle and lower class ponies didn't raise as much of a fuss. They still trusted their princess even after the things she admitted. Equestria was under attack and, until it became more obvious that there was something else going on, they were willing to lend a hoof.

The legionnaires, for their part, were polite and well-behaved. There were a few incidents where their anger was sparked, but, for the most part, they conducted their draft calmly. Many showed some interest towards Canterlot's technology, particularly the train that transported them to the city as well as the airships. They also did put some effort into trying to befriend the citizens despite what they had to do.

For Octavia, however, even these efforts only betrayed a more unsettling aspect of these ponies. She sat by a local café and watched as a pair of legionnaires walked past a window. These legionnaires did everything as if they were in a play: they spoke as if they had a script, they acted as if they were choreographed, and every move they made was a reflection of restraint and deliberation. Even the two who just walked by did so with their gazes focused and paces in a no-nonsense hurry. 'And to think that, soon, even my friends will be behaving like them," she thought.

The gentle rain that had been falling all morning only served to worsen Octavia's melancholy. She had just come from a cancelled recital. When she had arrived, it turned out that a quarter of the orchestra had been drafted and about as much had decided to volunteer. The performance would have trudged on if three-quarters of the audience seats weren't empty. Canterlot simply wasn't in the mood for music right now. Her thoughts went to her friends and fellow musicians. When the draft began, it was her brother who answered the call, sparing her from having to go. Most of her friends, however, now had the misfortune of being only foals. The Equestrian Legion held no interest in Canterlot's music and their new recruits had to set aside musical instruments for barding and tramplers. She came to her favorite café to try to relax for a while. Her coat and umbrella were still dripping from the rain. She looked towards the cello she kept close to her and sighed. Not that there was going to be much work for musicians like her for a while. Maybe even for good.

The sound of bells tinkling brought the earth pony mare's attention to the café's entrance. The door had opened and a golden brown unicorn stallion had entered. He had an impressive dark blond mane, swept back and arranged more like a lion's mane than a pony's. He had a luxurious beard to match as well. He took off his coat and hung it on the rack provided by the cafe, revealing a dark red suit, tailor-fitted by the looks of it. Octavia's eyes went to his belt, however, and the long swords strapped to it. Sure enough, he had no cutie mark, making him one of the Barrier Lands ponies. Still, his demeanor marked him differently from the legionnaires. He caught sight of her staring, smiled warmly, and then bowed in greeting. Embarrassed, Octavia looked away and focused on her cup of tea while he went over to order something.

"Pardon me," somepony said. Octavia nearly choked on her tea before she looked up. Whoever was talking to her had a voice meant for opera; a rich, stentorian tone that she certainly didn't expect. She looked to her side and found that the stallion from the entrance had approached her. He still had that smile he had greeted her just a few moments ago. "This café seems a bit lonely at the moment, would you grant me the pleasure of your company while I enjoy this coffee?"

Octavia stared for a few more seconds before realizing that this pony was waiting for an answer. "Oh, um…" She caught herself, remembering her manners and that she should match the formality he was showing. Perhaps this wasn't a legionnaire. He could be a noble from the Barrier Lands who had arrived with the Equestrian Legion to visit. "Very well," she said.

The stallion dipped his head slightly. "Thank you," he said. "My name is Lion Court, and you are?"

"Octavia. You are from the Barrier Lands, aren't you? Are you a legionnaire?"

Lion Court sat across the table from Octavia and took a sip of his coffee. "Yes and no," he said. "It's true that I came with the Legion, but I am not affiliated with them. I came here to experience the Heartland's culture before certain…elements bring about alterations." He glanced at the window briefly just as another pair of legionnaires walked by.

Octavia followed his gaze and then mentally agreed. "Is it going to get that bad?" she asked.

"Perhaps." Lion Court took on a more reassuring tone. "The Legion serves an important purpose, Lady Octavia, but it is all but blind to the things beyond that purpose. Beauty, art, music…the Legion has little use for these things." He suddenly glanced at the cello next to Octavia. "Pardon me for noticing, but I see that you have an instrument with you. Are you a musician of renown in this city?"

Octavia put a hoof over her cello and pulled it a little closer. "Well…I don't mean to brag, but I have performed in some very important events here in Canterlot," she replied in as modest a tone as she could. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but show a hint of pride. It wasn't easy to build a career in music here in Canterlot. Nobles were harsh and fickle judges. With so many aspiring musicians eager to take any opportunity coming her way, all it took was a poor performance to toss her out on the street.

"Such a wonderful turn of events!" Lion Court remarked. "I have been looking for musicians all over this fine city and haven't been met with success and, while I'm taking a break, I run into one!"

"Many of the musicians have been recruited into the Legion," Octavia said glumly. Whatever pleasure she could have taken from this pony's elation was washed away by that reminder of Canterlot's state.

"A tragedy," Lion Court said softly. "But let's not dwell on things we cannot change." He leaned on the table with both hooves and stared at Octavia intently. "Not everypony coming from the Barrier Lands is an agent of the Legion. I represent a more…private group interested in preserving the things the Legion will simply trample. If what you said is true, it would be my honor to present you to my mistress."

Octavia held her cello a little tighter under Lion Court's stare. The unicorn stallion sounded so reassuring and his offer piqued her curiosity. Just a few moments ago, she was bemoaning the thought of being unable to find much work in the coming days. Now, here comes somepony from the same place as the Legion who was offering her some solace. It sounded too good to be true. It could very well be. "Perhaps I should consult with others about this first," she said cautiously.

"Of course," Lion Court replied. He produced a card from one of his suit's pockets and placed it on the table. "Both my mistress and I are temporarily staying in this address, come at any time." He took another sip from his cup and set it on the table. "But listen to me, talking about business so quickly after making an acquaintance! Let us set that aside for something more pleasant, shall we?"

"Yes," Octavia replied with a smile. She found herself listening more often than talking as Lion Court began to talk about his first experiences with Canterlot and what he thought of Equestria's capital. Just hearing somepony from the Barrier Lands sincerely admiring Canterlot felt great and there was something so…grand about the way Lion Court sounded. She didn't know how many minutes they spent talking, but she had noticed that her tea was already cold and his coffee was gone.

"I'm afraid it's time for me to go," Lion Court said. He stood up and bowed slightly. "I hope we meet again soon, Lady Octavia." With that, he left the café.

Octavia's gaze followed Lion Court until he disappeared from view. She looked to the card he had left with her, taking note of the address. She found it a little odd, however, for a Barrier Lands noble to suddenly decide to stay in Canterlot. Did they not have fine, wealthy cities in that land? She took her cello, left the cup of cold tea on the table along with a small tip and then headed out as well.

She barely got two steps out of the door when somepony crashed right into her. The cello flew from her hooves along with her umbrella and then skidded across the damp pavement before stopping against a street light and, to her horror, on a puddle. Something else flew from the collision, it looked like a small stone tablet.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you coming and, hey let me help you with-!"

Octavia barely heard the high pitched voice from whoever had clumsily plowed over her. She rushed towards her cello and inspected it in a panic. The case had been soaked. She didn't dare open it now and let the rain ruin the instrument completely. All she could do was get it somewhere dry and hope for the best.

"Here let me help you with that!"

A pink hoof reached over Octavia's shoulder to take the cello. She slapped it away and stood up. She turned towards the stupid, three-legged ox of a pony who blundered into her, a few choice words already about to leap from her lips. When she saw who it was, however, she stopped.

There was no mistaking that poofy pink mane and that high-pitched whine of a voice. It was the pink pony. The same pink pony who had ruined Octavia's first Grand Galloping Gala and then followed it up by crashing into Fancy Pants's party at the royal gardens. Both events were among her most important events and the pink pony had blundered into them in succession.

"I'm so sorry!" the pink pony said. "I was busy looking at this tablet while walking that I didn't see you. Are you okay? I hope your instrument is okay!"

Octavia answered all the questions with a single frigid stare. Without a single word, she took her cello, strapped it to her back and then went her way. She wanted nothing to do with this pink pony.

The news about Princess Celestia banishing her own student along with her friends was known all throughout Canterlot. Twilight Sparkle…it was only recently that Octavia was able to put the name and the pony together. She had heard about the princess's protégé, but never actually knew the pony in any way. It had turned out to be the purple unicorn in the plain yellow dress flailing about, Octavia refused to call it dancing, in the garden. More importantly "Twilight Sparkle and her friends" turned out to be the same group that the wretched pink pony belonged to. With Princess Celestia's announcements, it was now plain enough to all that this group of ponies was involved in the Legion coming to Equestria. If they weren't completely responsible for it.

'Of course she's involved,' Octavia thought as she tried to hurry away. 'Whatever that pink pony touches ends up being ruined. Should I even be shocked that she and her friends have succeeded in ruining all of Canterlot?'

"Wait!" the pink pony cried out as she ran after Octavia. She laid a hoof on the gray earth pony's shoulder, eliciting another withering stare.

"Don't touch me!" Octavia snapped.

"I just want to-!"

"You have done enough! Oh, believe me, pink pony, you have done more than enough!"

The pink pony stopped in surprise, allowing Octavia to get away. She rounded several corners and then hurried to a shade. She inspected the case and, to her horror, she noticed that it had been badly torn during the fall. Water had already leaked inside. She opened the case, desperately praying that the cello was alright.

It wasn't.

The water had soaked into the wood, ensuring that the instrument was ruined. Octavia stared at it for a while. Her cello was ruined. Perhaps there was some restoration shop out there capable of undoing the damage. Maybe some unicorn somewhere had the right spell for the job. All she had to do was put some effort into it…

But what for? The apathy that clutched at her formed tears in Octavia's eyes. Just considering that question made her chest grow tight. A hoof touched her shoulder again. She was about to push it away in anger when she heard the voice that came with it.

"So soon?" Lion Court asked. "Have you come to take up my offer?"

Octavia looked around her in surprise, suddenly realizing that she had come to the very address that Lion Court had provided her. "N-no…" she said, trying to compose herself before she faced the stallion. "Not that I could." She forced a wry laugh. "Not when my cello is like this."

Lion Court took a step forward to look at the instrument. "Nonsense," he said reassuringly. "My mistress came to this land to help its culture. A little water damage is not going to stop her. Come, come, I'll introduce you." With that he took her by one hoof and led the way.

Octavia let herself be pulled along. It looked like they were about to enter one of the bigger apartments in Canterlot, it was only fitting. Lion Court's "mistress" sounded like a noble from the Barrier Lands, perhaps the first who wanted to be a patron of music from that strange, hostile place. Her eyes widened when he veered to one side and into the alley next to the building. "Wait," she said. "Where are we going?" Her heart sank when he opened the door to what appeared to be a service entrance. She went inside as he stepped to the side and gestured for her to go ahead, expecting to stumble into the kitchens or something.

Instead, she found herself suddenly standing inside a magnificent hall that stretched out for around a hundred feet. The floor, walls and ceiling were obsidian, polished so that they reflected perfectly. A pale luminescence filled the entire hallway, but Octavia could find the source. It was as if the light was simply…there. Three doors lined either side of the hall while the end had a pair of enormous double doors. Octavia looked behind her to find Lion Court standing there, smiling. He hadn't closed the door behind him as there wasn't one. "Where are we?" she asked. The sight of the hall nearly took her breath away.

"My mistress's temporary home," Lion Court replied. "Come, I want to introduce you to her as soon as possible."

They walked through the hallway, passing through each pair of likely smaller rooms. The doors were of a silvery crystal, also polished to a mirror-like finish. "These are the rooms my fellow agents and I stay in," Lion Court said. "Wonderful accommodations, especially given how quickly they were created." They came upon the double doors. "And here are my mistress's quarters." Lion Court paused for a while and listened. "Ah, busy as usual," he said with a wry smile. "Your timing will be impeccable."

Octavia glanced at her cello. The instrument was in no condition to play. What was Lion Court expecting of her? There was no time to ponder however. The doors opened and she followed the stallion into the room.

If Octavia still had any lingering doubts about the class of the pony she was being introduced to, they crumbled into nothing as soon as she laid her eyes on the room. A luxurious red carpet covered the floor. Every furnishing seemed to be gold-trimmed ebony: the lamps, which held not bulbs but glowing crystals, the desk by one side of the room, the coat rack close to the door…

And then there was the raised bed at the center. It was circular, just as the room was. It was hard to make out any details because Octavia's eyes were drawn to the pony reclining upon it. All of a sudden, she felt completely unprepared for this meeting. She was dingy, damp and uncombed. There were probably water stains on her normally pristine white collar and her mane was far too disheveled. Lion Court's "mistress" was, perhaps, the most beautiful mare she had laid her eyes on: lustrous black coat, a flowing crimson mane that spilled all around her, eyes of the softest gray…the sight of both black-feathered wings and a horn left Octavia in awe. Every pony she had seen like that had been royalty. She wasn't just faced with a Barrier Lands noble, she was faced with a Barrier Lands princess.

"How are Hassyth's little ponies, Longstride?" the princess asked. That was when Octavia finally noticed the multiple magical images lined up before Lion Court's mistress . She tried to get a closer look and recognized some of them as scenes from Canterlot, another one showed a building that she knew was in Baltimare, yet another was of Trottingham. The images were moving as if they were following the eyes of somepony.

"Proceeding as planned," was the reply. Since there was nopony else in the room, Octavia assumed that it was from one of the images. "They ran into a little trouble with a Legion patrol, but they will be in striking position soon."

"Excellent, I'm going to nudge Rainbow Dash your way soon. Stay alert."

"Yes, mistress."

The princess dismissed all the images and looked up to her guests. "Back already, Lion Court?" she asked softly. "And I had expected you to linger in Canterlot to enjoy the sights."

"I will, mistress," Lion Court replied. "But work has to come first." He gestured towards the earth pony mare. "This is Octavia. Octavia, this is my mistress, Black Rose."

Black Rose turned her slightly amused scrutiny on Octavia. "Lovely," she said with a smile. "Are you sure you followed Warsinger's signals and not your own tastes?"

"Of course."

Black Rose gestured with a hoof. In response, something stirred from the back of the room. A globe of red light suddenly floated forward, hovering briefly near Black Rose and then slowly making its way towards Octavia. "Looks like Warsinger approves," she said. "Sterling work as usual, Lion Court." She turned her gaze towards Octavia again. " I've been quite stressed lately. There is so much at stake, so many plans in motion, and I have to do it all while my beloved hunts me like a criminal. Would you play me something, Octavia? Something soothing from the Heartland's musical culture."

Octavia gazed warily at the now circling light. Still, she heard what Black Rose said. She removed her instrument from its case. She had done her best to wipe down the cello, but she doubted it was going to sound remotely right. "I'm afraid I won't be able to do that," she said. "My cello…"

"You needn't worry," Black Rose said reassuringly. "Warsinger is all that it will take." The globe of light landed gently on the cello and then flashed briefly. Octavia gasped and clutched the instrument tightly. When the light faded, however, nothing seemed to have happened. She looked at the cello. The water stains had disappeared. "Please…" Black Rose said. "I would love to hear a short performance. I have a great many tasks ahead of me and your music will be vital to their accomplishment."

Before Octavia even realized it, she had already set the cello in place and she was already holding the bow. Something soothing…she picked a quick piece that would fit. She had no idea what was going on, but to hear this magnificent princess say that she was needed helped put her at ease. With life in Canterlot seemingly falling apart for her, discovering this new place was nothing short of a miracle. She could play here, where she would be with an appreciative audience, away from that wretched pink pony, her friends and the stone-faced, uncaring Legion.

As Octavia played the piece, she noticed something about her cello. Not only was it still playing wonderfully, it seemed as if it was playing better than ever. The notes flowed perfectly, making her smile at her own performance. "Warsinger" sounded ominous, but if it could repair her precious cello and make it even better, she welcomed it.

Black Rose's smile grew wider at the end of the piece. "More than what I had hoped for," she said. "I would love to welcome you to my little group, Octavia. Won't you join me in protecting Equestria from those who would ruin it?"

"Yes."

* * *

><p>Lion Court had just closed the door after escorting Octavia to her new room. There was more to take care of than just welcoming the earth pony mare. Her records in Canterlot will have to be modified lest ponies start looking for her. What was expected of her had to be explained in better detail. For now, Octavia agreed to stay with them because she could play her music here as well as because of Black Rose's sheer presence. Before she could be remotely considered a proper Thorn, she had to be loyal to their cause. That was going to take a lot of slow, steady work. Still, he was in agreement with Black Rose. Warsinger had picked its new player well. For now, there were the other things he had in mind.<p>

_"Are you returning to Canterlot, Lion Court?" Black Rose had asked right before Lion Court began to escort Octavia._

_"Yes, mistress, I still plan on preparing the Element of Generosity for our inevitable proper meeting."_

_"While you're there, would you mind picking up a present for Blue Moon? He should be reminded that there are no hard feelings between us and prison does get quite boring."_

_"I have just the thing."_

Lion Court was about to activate his dimensional key when he heard the voice of another Thorn.

"So how was Rhapsody's replacement?"

"My dear Sable, Octavia is not replacing anypony. She's a brand new member of our little family." Lion Court turned around and faced the dark green pegasus mare.

Sablesteel stood at the end of the hallway and stared at Lion Court with a frown. "If she can get Warsinger playing, she can be whatever she wants to be in this group," she said as she tucked a stray lock of her wavy gray mane from her face.

"Black Rose has assigned me the task of getting her ready," Lion Court replied. "I will do just that. Speaking of assignments, I'm surprised you're spending time here, Sable."

"Just stopped by for a quick break," Sable replied.

"Would you care to do me a small favor?" Lion Court suddenly asked.

"What's that?"

"I know that you've been assigned to put the Element of Joy through 'a little adversity'. All I ask is that you refrain from actually taking the lives of her loved ones. A broken element will set our mistress's plans back for years."

Sablesteel was silent for some time. She closed both her eyes and folded her forelegs in front of her. Lion Court knew the gesture well. Once she had made a decision, Sable always opened one eye first. The blue one indicated a positive response while the green one would often mean a horrifying, noxious death for somepony. To his relief, the blue eye appeared first. "No promises," Sable said as she headed for her room. Before she closed the door however, she paused to say something. "And, Lion Court, if you sleep with that new mare, I will beat you to death with her severed head."

"You wound me, my dear Sable."

"Oh, you'll know if I've wounded you."

Lion Court bowed his appreciation and then went on his way. As his mistress had mentioned, there was so much to do…


	22. Alicorn Matters

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 22: Alicorn Matters**

Although the steady rain made the morning a little dreary and her responsibilities now kept her active during the day and night, Luna made it a point to be by the dining hall for a light breakfast at the start of each day. The process of reunification kept her and her siblings busy, but sharing at least a meal a day ought to help with their still mending bonds.

At least, that was what Luna hoped for. She had suggested it to both her siblings some time ago. Both of them had agreed in their own way: Celestia with a half-hearted smile and a nod, Terrato with a grunt that sounded more yes than no. They had been true to their word, as far as coming to eat was concerned anyway. Since they reserved talking about governing issues for formal meetings, silence reigned over their meals in general. Terrato ate like a machine in what Luna could only view as a poorly disguised attempt to get things over quickly. He was always the first to leave, which was something considering that he ate three times as much as his sisters combined. Celestia was a bit more cordial, as was to be expected, but only seemed to truly relax when their brother had left the table.

This morning was different, however. Terrato had not arrived at his customary time, leaving the two sisters by themselves. Luna took a sip of tea and studied her sister for a while. She had been worried that all the changes in the Heartland would wear on Celestia, but things have been looking better than expected. "How have you been holding up?" she asked.

"I'm doing well, thank you," Celestia replied. She smiled wryly after a sip from her own cup. "Losing my powers has not rendered me completely fragile you know."

"I don't just mean physically, big sister," Luna said. "The changes around here have been quite fast. Even the palace itself…"

Celestia nodded. Luna quietly stirred her tea for a while and let her mind wander to the recent changes.

In addition to Necromancy, their brother specialized in Creation Conjurations and Transmutations, especially that of the things he ruled over. Stone and metal may as well be putty in his hooves. Just a few days after he started staying in the Royal Palace, he shaped an entire hall as well as his quarters from the mountain and added it seamlessly to the existing structure. When Luna had mentioned that the throne room could use a little renovation to show that all three of them ruled now, he reshaped the entire room to include two thrones for him and his younger sister.

But the physical changes were the easiest to accept. Even Celestia voiced her admiration for the speed that Terrato could create structures and his attention to detail was impressive. It was the other things that came with him that were harder to deal with.

Terrato had legionnaires patrolling side by side with royal guards. That was all that it looked like at first glance, but both sisters also knew that there were less conspicuous watchers stationed in specific places all around the palace. The same could be said for the rest of Canterlot if not the entire Heartland. To combat Black Rose, Terrato insisted that he needed "eyes and ears" in every place that Black Rose might strike. Luna knew that it was only a matter of time before Celestia had to contend with their brother when his measures began to take their toll on everypony's privacy.

There was also Terrato's presence in the Royal Palace. When the Equi Ignei guarded the place, the servants had feared for their lives and more than a few had decided to stay away. After the flaming creatures were gone for good, the servants had hoped that a sense of normalcy was returning to their workplace. Now, however, they were faced with the imposing figure of the princesses' brother. Terrato was no slave-driver, but neither was he interested in endearing himself to anypony. He strode the halls in a constant, purposeful hurry that sent any servants scurrying and, when he turned his gaze on them, they visibly quailed. The sight of ponies unwilling to hold their ground only served to irritate Terrato further which, in turn, terrified them even more.

The doors to the dining hall opened as if on cue. Both Celestia and Luna turned towards them, expecting their brother.

"Cadance!" Luna exclaimed.

Princess Cadance smiled warmly as she made her way towards the two. The smile didn't last however, a sign that she had returned for official business. "I'm glad to see you're both alright," she said.

Luna stood up and walked towards her "niece". Cadance shared titles with Prince Blueblood, but that was probably all they had in common. How they viewed that position couldn't be more varied. Blueblood saw only privileges and rendered himself useless by enjoying them. Cadance understood the duty part. Even before reunification, she served Equestria as an emissary and occasional trouble-shooter. "What have you found out?" she asked.

"The United Griffon Aeries are starting to panic," Cadance replied. "The increasing presence of the Equestrian Legion has them convinced that we're going to invade them. I've done all I could to try to assure them, but only time will tell."

"What about the dragons?" Celestia asked. She had also stood up and was now listening intently.

"It's bad. Just as Princess Luna said, a group of Barrier Lands dragons calling themselves 'Draco'dim' have moved into dragon territories. The fighting has been constant and, from what I've gathered, half a dozen Heartland dragons have been killed."

"A group of dragons fighting can't be good for the surrounding areas," Luna said. "What of the ponies nearby?"

"The Draco'dim are careful with where they conduct their 'purge killings'. They fight deep in the mountains, away from any pony settlements. I managed to speak with Afralhadar, one of their representatives."

"And what did he say?" Luna asked.

"All he said was that the Equestrian Legion was permitted to take all the dragon bodies and that we shouldn't interfere with dragon matters any further."

"Why would Terrato purposely bring these dragons to the Heartland?" Celestia asked with a frown. "Does he really thrive on all these killings? Does he plan on taking those bodies as trophies?"

"Big sister…" Luna said softly. The bodies would not become trophies. She knew that much. Dragon bone, dragon scale, and dragon gut were all excellent materials for weapons and armor. It was more likely that her brother had cut a deal with the Draco'dim for informing them about the Heartland situation or the Draco'dim simply offered the remains as returning the favor without his prompting. It was a grisly reward, but useful, something her brother would definitely not pass on even if Celestia disapproved. Before she could go on, the doors to the dining hall flew open.

"Luna," Terrato said as soon as he entered, "I need your help with a spell. Come on." When he spotted Cadance, however, he stopped and stared.

Luna stood up quickly, more to prevent what she feared was about to happen than anything else. Cadance appeared as an alicorn and would likely be mistaken for one. Terrato wouldn't take too kindly to agents of the Eternal Herd showing up out of nowhere. She stepped in front of Cadance protectively. "Wait, big brother!" she said. "She's not an agent of the Eternal Herd no matter how much she looks like one!"

"Oh, relax," Terrato said with a grin. "I can tell. Besides, I've seen mortals like her before."

"You have?" Luna asked.

"A long time ago in the Western Barrier Lands. He had convinced a bunch of ponies that he was another prince and was running a rebellious cult by the time I heard about him." Terrato looked a little distant for a second. "Smeared him under his own giant statue…good times." He walked towards Cadance. As he drew nearer, the size difference between them became even more obvious. Cadance flinched slightly when he sized her up, but she stood her ground. Terrato's grin widened just a bit more. "But whatever theory I have for why some mortal ponies end up resembling us will have to wait," he said. "Princess Cadance, isn't it? Nice to meet you."

Cadance bowed low in response. "And it is an honor to meet you, Prince Terrato," she said. She turned towards Celestia and Luna. "I'll be going for now," she told them.

Celestia nodded. "Thank you for your hard work, Cadance. I take it that you haven't seen your husband yet?"

Cadance shook her head. "I rushed back to Canterlot when I heard he was hurt."

"Off you go then." Celestia smiled and nodded.

Terrato waited patiently for the exchange to finish. He had already been updated on the royal nieces and nephews when he had asked about Blueblood. He had voiced his interest in the way by which Celestia had expounded on his actions. Luna still remembered how the whole matter came to be.

Prior to the barrier's creation, Terrato had sent three ponies to serve as the foundation of what would be the Royal Guard. They were his "replacements" as he had told them, brothers to Celestia and Luna in his place. Now, their very few descendants worked as "nephews" and "nieces", children of some vaguely alluded to sibling of Celestia's until now.

When Cadance left, Terrato directed his words towards Luna. "I'm going to open a partial gate to the Eternal Herd and I need your help."

"What?" Luna replied. Her elder sister also looked on worriedly and curiously. Summoning Conjurations were part of Celestia's domain. While the two younger siblings knew how to open a gate to the Eternal Herd, it required a greater deal of effort on their part. A joint spell would lessen the load, which was what Terrato was proposing. "Why do you need to contact the Eternal Herd now?"

"We need to find out more about Regia Carnifex. Magnus Chartophylax is bound to have a record of him."

"Would he still be willing to associate with us?" Celestia asked.

"Why not? We're still the King and Queen's children."

"Their rebellious children."

"He'll understand," Terrato insisted. "He's our best shot at finding out more about this."

"It is worth the effort," Luna added. She trotted over to Terrato. "Let's get started, big brother."

The three of them picked the Chamber of the Elements to open the partial gate. It was naturally a private sanctum and used to containing powerful magic. Terrato and Luna stood by opposite sides of the chamber while Celestia maintained a good distance from them to observe.

* * *

><p>As she watched the two weave their magic together, Celestia felt left out. It wasn't just because she was standing by the sidelines while her siblings did the work for this spell. Since the reunification began, she had plenty of time to observe the two. Luna had always been able to get along with Terrato much better than she did. She recalled that moment again; Terrato broken-horned and covered in blood and Luna happily greeting him. She couldn't point out how she felt about that now: guilty for separating them with her barrier, fearful of Terrato's influence on Luna or hopeful of Luna's influence on Terrato? Regardless, it just seemed that she wasn't going to have a say about how that would go.<p>

Another minute of intense spell casting and the gate materialized. All three of them stared at the circular hole, no more than five feet across, that connected this world with a world they had left so long ago. The brilliance of the Eternal Herd shone through the partial gate, illuminating the chamber brighter than any of its own lights.

Luna nervously looked into the partial gate. Celestia could only imagine the worry in her younger sister. It has been so long since Luna had had any contact with the Eternal Herd. Long ago, Terrato had been supposed to destroy her body in this world and permanently return her to the Eternal Herd. Celestia refused to let that happen and so the fifth rebellion occurred. Did the rest of the Eternal Herd still insist that her father's orders be followed? She dreaded meeting Magnus Chartophylax only for him to demand that her younger sister be executed on the spot before he gave any aid.

Celestia knew, however, that she was the least enthusiastic about the whole idea. She knew who she was to the rest of the Eternal Herd: Celestia the rebellious princess who defied her father twice and incited her siblings to follow in her hoofsteps, Celestia who favored the mortal spawn of Oceanus over her own kind…

The image of Magnus Chartophylax finally appeared at the opposite side of the gate. The keeper of the Eternal Herd's vast records was a beige alicorn of Terrato's height, but not quite his girth. His white, smoky mane cascaded all the way to his back in thick, wispy curls and he had a beard to match. Bright blue eyes, stern, but not angry, looked towards the three siblings, then focused on Terrato. "Your highness, it's been a while. Do you need my help for your next rebellion?"

"Save the sarcasm, Magnus," Terrato replied. "I know what I did. Right now, I need your help to undo it."

"Not the sort of tone you should be taking then."

"What do you know of an alicorn called Regia Carnifex?"

Magnus's expression darkened at the name. He didn't address Terrato's question right away, however. Instead, he shifted his gaze towards the other royal siblings. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna," he said with a slight bow. "It is good to see the two of you again."

Celestia answered with a bow of her own. She still remembered visiting Empyrea's Hall of Records and her first encounter with its keeper. As a first cycle alicorn, Magnus was ancient, even by alicorn standards, held in high regard by all of the Eternal Herd since he first took up his office. Despite his prestige and the stern, quiet demeanor he presented, he was a patient alicorn who always had time to see to the needs of even a first-time visitor. Luna likewise returned the bow, glad that to get a far better reaction that what she was expecting.

"Magnus," Terrato said.

"And for what purpose are you going to use this knowledge this time, your highness? Are you really in such a hurry to bring about the return of Oceanus?"

"This won't be going against our parents, Magnus," Luna said. "We're trying to stop a threat to the Herd this time, not cause one."

Magnus Chartophylax studied all three of them before speaking to Terrato. "Back during the first time you consulted me, I approved of you finally doing something without needing Celestia's permission. Now, I see something better, the three of you acting on something together instead of just Celestia dragging her siblings around. I will help you just for that. I can only hope you don't make me regret this."

"You won't," Celestia said reassuringly. "Thank you for your help, Magnus."

"Regia Carnifex was a high-ranking pony in his majesty's court back when Prince Oceanus was still with us," Magnus said. "When Oceanus openly rebelled, it was Carnifex who first came to his side." His expression darkened further. "I was there when he threw down many of our kind. He was Oceanus's most loyal lieutenant and was granted the blasphemous "honor" of bearing the Foul Weapon when Oceanus stepped forward to challenge his majesty."

"That would mean that he has a great affinity towards the Foul Weapon," Luna remarked.

"You've picked up your brother's rude tendency to interrupt, your highness."

Luna froze at Magnus's sudden comment. "What? No I haven't…besides I-!" She looked away, flustered.

Magnus's stern countenance softened with a smile. "Yes, what you said is true. Regia Carnifex does possess a great deal of affinity towards the Foul Weapon. It is likely that he can call it forth if he chooses to."

All three siblings frowned. All it would take was Black Rose manipulating Regia Carnifex and she would have the Foul Weapon at her disposal. And that would be if things went smoothly. If Black Rose was to make a mistake, they would have Oceanus's lieutenant running loose.

"Is that all you needed to know?" Magnus asked. "I daresay that I am a little disappointed that the three of you would not know of an important figure in Eternal Herd history, especially since it concerns something that involved your father. If you had spent just a little more time in my library instead of-!"

"Magnus, you're lecturing again," Terrato said. "We'll get to know all of Oceanus's minions when we start beating them back."

"That's the kind of attitude that-!"

Another alicorn suddenly peeked from the side. This one was a mare, about as tall as Celestia with a gray mane that looked as if hundreds of small blades were cascading down her neck. "Terrato!" she exclaimed.

Centuries of staying in a different world did nothing to dim Celestia's memory of the alicorn mare. She looked to her brother who also recognized the sight with ease. "Gladio Saltare," he said with a smile. "Pretty convenient that we opened this gate while you're in the library."

"Convenient nothing!" Gladio grinned. "Ever since I found out that you had contacted Magnus before, I've been spending a lot of time here in case you did so again."

"Gladio, that was around seven hundred years ago."

The number didn't even register across Gladio Saltare's face. "You need to get back here, your highness," she said.

Suddenly pushed to the side, Magnus frowned at the interruption. "Well, your highnesses if you don't need me for anything else…"

Celestia looked apologetically at Magnus and nodded before returning her focus towards one of her brother's old friends.

"Why would I need to do that?" Terrato asked. Luna and Celestia listened intently as well.

"News of Celestia's power being stolen has already made it here," Gladio said. Her smile turned into a grim look. "Gravitas has been using it to push for complete mortal pony extermination. What's frightening is that I think he's making progress."

"Mother would never allow such a thing!" Celestia said. "Gravitas can puff himself up before the Council of Elders, but the King and Queen still have the final say!"

"Your highness…" Gladio said. "The King and Queen have been silent since you refused to send Princess Luna to the Herd for punishment."

The three siblings were not taken completely by surprise by that one. For all their power, the King and Queen had very few orders to give. They had never seen their father emerge from the Silver Sanctum, where he continued to recover from his fight with Oceanus. The few decrees he gave came from closed doors. Their mother, while more open, also preferred to let her subjects move about freely. Ever since the fifth rebellion, neither had issued any decrees. "That's not entirely true," Luna said. "What about-!" Terrato cut off the protest with a glare. Luna frowned, but complied with her brother this time.

"And without any interference from our parents, the Council of Elders will make the decision," Terrato said. "How bad is it, Gladio?"

"He's picking up momentum," Gladio replied. "The Council is still undecided, but an opposition hasn't materialized yet. We don't have somepony like Lexarius or Princess Celestia here to argue for the mortals." She turned her gaze to Celestia. "If you can return here and explain the situation, we can still halt Gravitas in his tracks."

Frustration build within Celestia. There was no love lost between her and General Gravitas and the thought of him being given free rein to promote his cause ate her up from the inside.

"Celestia is in no condition to travel to the Eternal Herd," Terrato said.

"I can make the trip," Luna said.

"You could," Terrato replied. "And Gravitas could try to detain you and insist that you be properly punished for the fourth rebellion. We need you here."

"Then are you going to make the trip?" Luna asked her brother.

"I'm not exactly innocent now am I?" Terrato said. "It's possible that Gravitas would want to have me punished for what I've done." He turned towards Gladio Saltare. "We'll have to think this through carefully first."

"Of course," Gladio replied. "I don't know what's going on over there, your highness, but I wish you luck."

"We'll need it," Terrato said. The gate shimmered, then slowly faded. For a moment, it seemed as if his old friend had something to say, but the gate was gone before any more words could come out. He turned towards his sisters.

"Why didn't you want me to tell her about our mother's message to Applejack?" Luna asked.

"Because if mother wanted everypony in the Herd to know that she hasn't been completely silent, they would know," Terrato replied.

"We need to do something about Gravitas," Celestia said. "Everything we've done will be for nothing if he succeeds."

"Right now, I'm the best candidate to go there," Terrato said. "I have some more things to care of here and I'll see what can be done about it. It's also possible that we recover your power before the need becomes more desperate. Gravitas is making progress, but I doubt he's anywhere near on the verge of convincing the Eternal Herd that the mortals must be destroyed."

"He shouldn't even be allowed to come close." Celestia's eyes narrowed. Dealing with Gravitas was unpleasant. She wanted to be the one to go. It wasn't that she didn't believe in her brother's ability to speak for this world, but she was the one who had dealt with Gravitas before.

"But none of us can actually go," Luna said. "Big sister, I know how much you dislike Gravitas-!"

"No…no you don't. Not until you've had to argue with him during a council meeting."

"We'd better get back to our other duties for now," Terrato said.

Celestia nodded reluctantly. "I want to talk to you about the Draco'dim, Terrato," she said.

"I'll explain myself to you later, dearest sister," was Terrato's reply. With that, Celestia left the chamber, leaving him and Luna alone.

* * *

><p>"Big brother, you are needed here," Luna said. "Mother is still on the move, we have to trust her to make sure that the Eternal Herd doesn't decide against mortals."<p>

"I know," Terrato replied. "Our best bet is to recover Celestia's power quickly and have her go. She's spoken against Gravitas before." His mind went back to his former student. Black Rose had placed all of ponykind at risk by stealing Celestia's power. Had she known that the Eternal Herd would react like this? He had confided to her about the Eternal Herd before. It was likely that Black Rose did know and she had taken it into account as well.

Luna's eyes narrowed. "You're saying that, big brother, but we don't seem to be taking enough steps to find and deal with her."

"Is that what it looks like to you?"

"I've been speaking with Special Operations members. We already have several suspected agents of hers. There's even been a sighting of the Thorns here in Canterlot, but you've ordered them not to make any arrests!"

Terrato smiled. Luna was starting to work well with the Legion. "I know about Black Rose's agents moving around," he replied. "Arresting them right away will mean playing our cards too soon. It will clue Black Rose in on how many of her agents we've spotted and how many are actually undercover. It's likely that she has more of than a dozen doomed spies out there and it's for certain that none of her agents will be able to lead us to her even if they wanted to. Not even the Thorns. I'd rather keep her guessing as to which agents of hers we have in sight and which ones aren't and try to control the information she's gathering."

The struggling look on Luna's face made Terrato shake his head. He stepped closer and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Leave Black Rose's games to me, little sister," he said. "I'll deal with all the cloak and dagger. I need you to claim victory."

"Me?" Luna stepped back. "Why me?"

"I can't beat Black Rose completely," Terrato said. "If she wants to, we'll be dancing around each other forever. She's had too much time to observe me and Celestia and familiarize herself with our methods. You, however, have just recently returned. She doesn't know you that well and that's what we'll use." He paused, gauging his sister's reaction. "Have you ever thought about why she didn't steal your power back in Bastion City? She could have you know."

"Then why didn't she?"

"Because Black Rose loves having a wild card around," Terrato replied. Luna listened intently. She had likely noticed the nostalgia in his tone. "She hates plans that proceed perfectly and thrives on last minute improvisations. If there isn't one in the works, she'll create one. It's always worked for her before."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luna asked. "That she expects me to play into her hooves anyway?"

"Yes."

"She's going to regret that move."

Terrato's smile widened. "Then you understand. This is one of her very few weaknesses that we can exploit. I'm counting on you."

The two of them left the Chamber of the Elements together. Another day's duty still awaited them.


	23. Canterlot

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 23: Canterlot**

For Vanguard Clash, watching the sun rise over Canterlot should have been something special. He was in the capital city of both Princess of the Sun and Princess of the Moon. The architecture, the ponies, even the daily rituals that took place, should reflect that identity. This would be his first day in the city when he would get to observe instead of being off on official matters. He had hoped to see how the chosen behaved in their territory and get a better understanding of his friends.

Instead, he found himself standing under the awning of the new Legion barracks and staring at the steady morning rain. Today wasn't going to be the day to see a sunrise in Canterlot. Also, the truth was that he was never going to get a chance to really see how the chosen were in their territory. With the Legion's presence continuing to grow and more ponies from the Barrier Lands coming in, however the chosen behaved among themselves was gone forever.

"Back to work, Vanguard? I think you've earned a break after your last mission. Why not take it and see what Canterlot's got?"

Vanguard found Nightcanter standing behind him. A frown creased his face when he replied. "I asked you not to involve the Elements of Harmony, Captain Nightcanter."

The smile never left the Nightcanter's face. "I thought about that and decided against it," she replied. "It turned out to be a real lifesaver too! You should be complimenting me for being so prudent!"

"They could have gotten killed down there."

"_I_ could have gotten killed down there!" Nightcanter frowned as well. "Celestia drill my backside, you can be such a worrier! Danger's part of the legionnaire package, remember? I did you a favor, Vanguard. The more you try to keep them out of trouble, the less prepared they'll be when they run into it by themselves."

"Was that running through your mind when you met them in Ponyville?" Vanguard asked. "Or did you just come up with it afterwards when you knew I was going to talk to you about it?"

Nightcanter's lips twisted a little, all but answering Vanguard's question. "You know, it doesn't make me any less right either way," she said. "Besides, you 'asked' me, remember? It's not like I disobeyed orders. We're still both Special Operations captains even if you did land yourself a harem of mares. You're not even captain of a full squad."

The last remark left Vanguard silent. He had been left too long without a full squad and it certainly reflected badly upon him for delaying for so long. The smile returning to Nightcanter's lips told him that she had guessed what his silence meant. "You know, I spotted your vice-captain making her way to the training yard," she said. "Why don't you chat her up and see if you can get a squad together before we get sent out on our next mission?"

"She's not-!" Vanguard caught himself. Applejack was only vice-captain because he was assigned to lead them as the Elements of Harmony. He wasn't even suited for that role and Dreadstep likely only needed the group to be guided by a more seasoned legionnaire. However, as he thought about it…"I'll see you later."

Nightcanter waved and went off to finish her report. Vanguard made his way towards the training yard. In truth, he had been given a break, a few hours' worth of it, but a break nonetheless. Before he took it, he wanted to see how his friends were doing. Just as Nightcanter had said, Applejack was in the training yard despite the rain. There were several broken top halves of practice dummies scattered near her. The bottom halves were well over thirty feet away. At the moment, she seemed to be practicing…dance steps.

"Shield up!" Applejack yelled. She rose on her hind legs and thrust her front hooves into the air. Nothing happened. "Um…Golden Shield! Queen's Magic!" Still nothing.

"Is this some kind of chosen morning ritual?" Vanguard asked.

Applejack nearly jumped at that. "Vanguard! How long have you been watching me? N-no, it's not a chosen morning ritual and-! Are you here because we have to go on a mission?"

Vanguard smiled. "Relax, I just want to have a little talk. You sure you should be standing in the rain?"

"Ponyfeathers! It's just a little drizzle. I'm not wasting a day's training over it!" Applejack shook some droplets from her mane, then looked skyward with a squint. "Why is it even raining anyway? It's winter!"

"Something about weather complications with the barrier down, I've been told," Vanguard said. "Fenrir's winter hasn't blown through the Heartland for centuries. The weather factories in Cloudsdale-" he frowned at that. He doubted he would ever get used to the idea of "manufactured" weather, or the very existence of Cloudsdale. "-still had a lot of rain clouds in surplus when Barrier Lands weather started to move in. I don't know the details and I honestly don't want to know. I just hope the pegasi manage it." He looked at Applejack in bemused interest. "And what exactly where you practicing just now? Cheering?"

Applejack's face reddened. "No," she said. "I was trying to get that magic shield thing I did back then."

Vanguard's eyes narrowed. "Magic shield?" he asked.

"You know, from that fight with Nightmare Moon. I can't get it to come out again."

"How did you come upon this ability anyway?"

Applejack didn't look sure of her next words. "I think the Queen gave it to me. She said something about a gift before sending me back so that's probably it."

Vanguard thought about it for a while. He knew little of the higher powers that existed within ponykind, whether it was Prince Terrato, his sisters, or their parents. "Perhaps you should consult one of the Queen's children," he said. "They might know how to utilize their mother's gift."

Applejack brightened. "You know what, that ain't a bad idea," she said. Her spirits dampened quickly. "But how am I supposed to talk to any of them now? They all look really busy."

"I'm sure they'll make time for an Element of Harmony. Anyway, where are the others?"

"Twilight went off to see her parents," Applejack replied. She spoke with an ease that Vanguard approved of. She was getting used to doing this for him. "Rarity's gone off to check the city out and she brought Fluttershy with her, Rainbow and Scarlet flew off somewhere and Pinkie…well, Pinkie sort of just wandered off with that stone tablet of hers."

Vanguard's thoughts went to Twilight. She had finally gone off to see her family. If she still insisted on signing up with his squad, he had no more reasons to refuse save for arbitrary insistence on his part. Now that he thought about it, it was likely that she was the one who got the rest of her friends to follow Nightcanter's group out of some deep-seated curiosity about Clover the Clever. No matter how much he tried, she was going to keep getting into the thick of things. Perhaps…

"Hey, Vanguard,"

Vanguard shifted his attention back to Applejack. "Hm?"

"Are you okay? I heard that you and Shining Armor went off to fight ghosts."

Vanguard shrugged. "Just one more mission." He noticed Applejack's concerned gaze. Perhaps he had been too focused on just the possibility of Twilight Sparkle joining his squad. He also happened to need an earth pony skirmisher. Applejack wasn't an enormous bruiser like Blademane and she was certainly nowhere near his former squad mate in experience, but he had spoken with Iron Jaw over at Infantry and remarks were good. More importantly, between Twilight Sparkle and Scarlet Rabbit, he could definitely use her.

Nightcanter called Applejack his vice-captain, the concept of it sat surprisingly well with him. He had seen the botched paperwork that indeed tagged Applejack as a Special Operations Vice-Captain and had already taken steps to correct the issue, but he may have been too hasty.

Then there were his old reasons for why he didn't want Twilight to join up in the first place.

"Uh…Vanguard?"

Vanguard shook his head. He wasn't even completely sure that Twilight would insist on joining Special Operations. Maybe she would return from her family visit with her mind already changed. "I'll see you later, Applejack," he said.

Applejack nodded with a smile and Vanguard went on his way.

"Clash!"

Vanguard was just about to step out into the street when another familiar voice called out to him from behind. He turned around and saw Captain Shining Armor walking towards him. "Armor," he said. "Up and about already?"

"I can't afford to take a break," Shining Armor replied. "Between the re-outfitting and all the alcohol-related disturbances, the Royal Guard is swamped."

"I'm sorry to hear about the boozing problems; an oversight on the Legion's behalf," Vanguard said.

Shining Armor answered with a wry smile of his own. "It can't be helped now," he said. "There's _some_good news for me. I just heard that my wife has returned to Canterlot." He looked around suspiciously before leaning closer. "You think Captain Nightcanter will stop giving me those looks if I introduced them?" he whispered.

"Quite the opposite," Vanguard replied. "If you let Nightcanter find out you're married, she'll start going for the both of you instead. That said, don't let me keep you from your happy reunion."

With a snort, Shining Armor patted Vanguard on the shoulder and moved on. "Clash," he said.

"Armor," Vanguard replied. He was already considering that this was another possible complication. Shining Armor was unlikely to take it well if he found out that his sister had joined up with Special Operations.

Vanguard moved on to Canterlot's streets. Canterlot was nothing like what he had ever seen before even without considering the fantastic airships and the train. The overcast sky and the drizzle did nothing to dull the vivid colors or hide the elegant structures. Here was the picture of Princess Celestia's aesthetics: beauty and elegance in all things. Some of his fellow legionnaires complained that a well-placed catapult shot would probably bring down whole sections of Canterlot, if the entire city didn't just fall off the cliffs. Vanguard didn't mind those details. Canterlot, even with its weaknesses and oddities, was a welcome change to Bastion City and FangBreaker Fortress.

Vanguard also noticed other details. Nearby chosen stared at him warily, much more so than they did other legionnaires. The black barding and the red eyes were obvious reasons. He let the time pass just walking around and observing. The rain eventually let up after a couple of hours and he was soon staring down one street and towards a very familiar unicorn.

"Vanguard!" Twilight called out. She had a very determined look on her face as she approached him.

Vanguard braced himself. The faint hope of Twilight having changed her mind was already fading fast.

* * *

><p>Though she would rather go back to Ponyville and be with her family for a few more days, Rarity wasn't the sort to waste an opportunity when she saw one. Barrier or no barrier, she still considered Canterlot the center of Equestrian fashion. She had thought of replacing their wolven fur coats with something that was not only much more fashionable and just as functional, but also didn't require skinning a dead wolf-like creature. She went for the fabrics, the synthetic leather, threads, and even some feathers. This could very well be the opportunity to add some fashion into the Legion's outfits. She remembered to ask for permission first. The Legion responded to unsolicited changes to its outfits with whippings.<p>

"Do you really think we should be out here shopping, Rarity?" Fluttershy asked. "I mean, what if they needed us?"

"Nonsense," Rarity replied. "We're on a break, remember? We've gone out of our way to get that coffin and that book here, but that shouldn't mean that it's back to work. We should try to enjoy what's left of our two weeks."

"I suppose…"

Rarity trotted over to the window of another store. Among the displayed items was a small frilly shirt, likely meant for a very young colt.

"Ooh! Take a look at this one, Fluttershy! Don't you think it would make for a darling little outfit for Spike when he comes back in the spring?"

"Um…don't you think he'd have grown by that time?" Fluttershy asked.

"Grown? What makes you think that?"

"Well, he was saying something like that when he was explaining why he had to go, remember? Something about Prince Terrato calling him 'stunted' and Seethe Scale fixing that…"

"Well, even if he grows, I'm sure I can make the necessary adjustments." Rarity was about to enter when somepony calling out stopped her.

"Woah there, apprentice!" Hammer Chain yelled. "I think you've got plenty of fabric already! How about you grab some ore and maybe a new pair of tongs?"

"Hammer Chain!" Rarity exclaimed. "B-but how did you get here? What about FangBreaker and the rest of the Northern Legion and-!"

"Yes, yes it's great to see you too." Hammer Chain came over. "A bunch of us over at the fort got sent here. I'm supposed to work with the chosen and get them started on forging arms and armor." He looked over to Fluttershy. "They got Redbrand and Tailwind over here as well. It's apparently to 'facilitate the exchange of non-magical medical techniques' and streamlining some group called 'Wonderbolts'. It's all too much of a coincidence if you ask me."

"Redbrand is here?" Fluttershy looked around. "I hope he's alright! It's a long trip to Canterlot!"

"Bah!" Hammer Chain snorted. "He's a crusty old bastard not some delicate flower! He's over at the Canterlot Hospital working with some chosen doctors if you want to see him."

Fluttershy glanced briefly at Rarity, silently asking permission to go. With a nod from her friend, she was already flying off.

With Fluttershy gone, Rarity let her thoughts stray to what Hammer Chain had just said. Redbrand, Tailwind, and Hammer Chain…Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and her. This was hardly the coincidence. "Were you specifically ordered by Prince Terrato?" she asked.

"The prince gave the order for various professionals to be sent to the Heartland," Hammer Chain said. "I'm quite certain he never mentioned me by name. This is probably Dreadstep or some other pony assigned for the job." He clapped Rarity on the back. "I've got a foundry already set up by the city's outskirts. I hope you've been practicing, Rarity, I don't want to have to start from scratch with you."

"I still know them," Rarity said confidently.

"Good. Oh, and check this out…" Hammer Chain pulled out a very old looking book from his saddlebag. "This is for you."

"A book?" Rarity hesitated. If she was Twilight Sparkle, she'd probably be jumping for joy right now. Beat up old books weren't exactly her sort of thing…unless it was a book on fashion. She enveloped it in her magic and drew it close. "What is it about?" she asked.

"You're looking at a copy of 'Mage-blade Combat'," Hammer Chain said proudly. "The original was written by the legendary Lion Court himself! I knew I had a copy somewhere and I looked for it when you first found those mage-blades I made. I only managed to find it when I was already packing my things."

"Yet another fortunate 'coincidence'," Rarity said. She flipped some pages over, noticing the illustrations of unicorns with mage-blades floating above them. This was exactly the sort of thing she needed. She knew that the lack of other mage-blade users in the Legion would make it difficult for her to improve her skills. A manual was no substitute for an experienced teacher, but it was much better than nothing at all.

"Coincidence is right," Hammer Chain added. "It was sitting on top of a pile of things when I found it. I still can't believe how I missed it all this time."

"Regardless, thank for this, Hammer Chain," Rarity said. "I'm sure to find this useful!" Before she could say anything else, a shadow suddenly passed over her. She looked up, but all she saw was a fleeting blur of rainbow colors. "Rainbow…" she muttered. She remembered seeing Rainbow talking to Scarlet earlier before she left with Fluttershy. She could only hope that her friend was safe.

* * *

><p>"So where are we going?" Rainbow asked as she flew next to Scarlet Rabbit. His speed wasn't lost on her. Time and again, the ease by which he could reach these speeds had her worried. When she had first joined up with Flight Dreadwing, Tailwind had admonished her for not observing Scarlet before challenging him. Now that she was doing just that, Rainbow's confidence was starting to falter. Scarlet flew too easily with all his barding on. She couldn't even tell how much effort he was putting into flying, making it all but impossible to gauge just how fast he could get.<p>

"I wanna show you something!" Scarlet replied. The scenery zipped past while he weaved through the groups of pegasi sharing Canterlot's sky with them. Even the air wasn't safe from the bustle of all the activity in the Heartland's capital. The more important supplies that had to be moved in and out of the city were carried by pegasi. Legionnaires already had patrol routes that mixed in with the Royal Guard patrols.

Finally, Scarlet landed in the middle of a large gathering of crates. He dove into one group, then held up a small keg triumphantly.

"What is that?" Rainbow asked.

"It's a keg of rainbow!" Scarlet crowed. "Can you believe it? When I took a trip to Cloudsdale I had to get one!"

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "A keg of rainbow?" she asked. "What do you need that stuff for? You're not a weather pegasus."

"Have you tasted this stuff?" Scarlet asked. He turned the spigot and took a quick gulp. Rainbow winced. The stuff Scarlet just drank could burn a hole in a pony's tongue. He exhaled through his mouth loudly. "Hoo boy! I'm having this stuff shipped off to FangBreaker. I just know Storm Brew can make it into some kind of drink! We'll call it 'Scarlet and Storm Brew's Rainbow Booze'! Wait, wait!" He waved his arms, imagining the sign. "'Scarlet and Storm Brew's Rainbooze'!"

Rainbow stared at Scarlet's antics. It was like watching a hyperactive colt instead of a legionnaire. He almost seemed not dangerous at all.

"So," Scarlet said. His smiling face turned into an intensely inquisitive gaze. "How about that race? You'll even get a hometown advantage!"

"Scarlet, I don't live in Canterlot."

"Then we'll race wherever you want here in the Heartland."

"About that…"

A slight frown creased Scarlet's face. Rainbowed swallow nervously. She could hear her heart starting to race. "What is it?" he asked.

"Is it true that you beat up Overcast because he lost to you?"

The frown deepened. "Overcast?" Scarlet asked. "How'd you find out about him?"

Rainbow recounted everything Rarity and Vanguard told her, observing Scarlet carefully as she did so. "So is all that true?" she asked.

"Well, I remember wanting to kick Overcast's flank, but it wasn't that serious," Scarlet said. "I mean, he was alive when they transferred him to the Western Barrier Land right?"

"So if I lose…"

"You know you shouldn't even compare yourself to that idiot. He talked a good game, got me excited, then didn't even make it a good race! He was a loser, a slow braggart of a loser who deserved a thumping." He leaned closer towards Rainbow. "He's nowhere near a pegasus like you, right? You're fast, you've got your Sonic Rainboom, and, most importantly, you mean what you say!"

Rainbow took a step back. She agreed with everything that Scarlet said about her. Though she had never met Overcast, she just knew that she could do so much better than him. Refusing now was to admit her loss no matter how she looked at it and Scarlet would see it in the same way. She had goaded him too much and he'd lose all respect for her if she suddenly backed off now. Besides, never finding out just how the race would have turned out was sure to drive her crazy. Yet, the price of failure continued to eat away at her. What was she supposed to do now?

"So how about it?" Scarlet asked again.

"I…" Rainbow closed her eyes. Every option seemed to lead to something bad, every option except…winning. Beating Scarlet was the only option she could take. She gathered her confidence once more. She had to win. Worrying would only slow her down. She had to have faith in her speed and her Sonic Rainboom. "Alright, let's do this," she said.

"Great!" Scarlet crowed. "Pick a place and set the rules!"

The two of them flew off with Rainbow leading the way. If she was to go through with this race, it had to be where Vanguard and the others wouldn't spot them. She didn't want to outright leave Canterlot though. The outermost areas would do well enough. "Twice around all of Canterlot!" she called out behind her. She glanced back and saw Scarlet nod eagerly.

* * *

><p>"So how was your visit with your family?" Vanguard took a sip of his coffee and winced. He frowned at the bowl of sugar next to him and pushed it away.<p>

"It was great," Twilight replied as she stirred her mug. She had asked Vanguard to join her for a drink in her favorite café: "Donut Joe's", where they could talk. She smiled wistfully and remembered the tearful reunion. Her mother had not even given her any time to say anything before smothering her with a bone-bruising hug.

_"Twilight! Oh Twilight!"_

_"It's…ugh, really good to see you again too, mother…"_

_"Oh, my little filly!"_

"I should have visited sooner," Twilight said.

"Then why didn't you stay longer?" Vanguard asked. "You could have stayed for a couple of days without any problems."

"I thought of that too," Twilight replied. She added a couple of teaspoons of sugar into her coffee. Her mind went back to the coffin still stored in the palace as well as the book. "But, I'd just be overcome with restlessness. There's just so much to do!" She took a sip from her mug and found the coffee still too bitter.

"I hope you don't regret this, Twilight Sparkle. Equestria will always have enemies, but you won't always have these moments with your loved ones."

"I'll see them again when Black Rose has been defeated!" Twilight said. She set her mug down a little too forcefully. She glanced apologetically towards Bagel Jane when some of the liquid spilled on the table. The white earth pony mare walked over to clean it up. Bagel Jane had taken over the cafe when her older brother responded to the draft. "I just can't feel at ease knowing that she's the one raising the sun everyday!" she added.

Vanguard didn't answer.

"Now that I've seen my family, will you let me join your squad?" Twilight asked.

Vanguard sighed and stared at Twilight. She matched his gaze. "You're really determined to do this, aren't you?" he asked.

"Black Rose is the real enemy here," Twilight said. "I'm not going to encounter her across the battlefield in Wolvengard or any place past the Barrier Lands. If I want to confront her, it will be through Special Operations missions." Her gaze hardened. The more she thought about it, the surer she was. The wolven were dangerous invaders. Although she had never seen them, she knew that the ursans and the ophidites were likely just as bad. But Black Rose had hurt Princess Celestia herself, she was going down first. "If you won't take me, I'll apply for a different squad."

"You don't need to issue ultimatums," Vanguard said. "I'll take you." He paused for another sip. "You and Applejack."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Applejack?" she asked. "Did she ask to join too?"

"No," Vanguard replied. "But I'll ask her to join. I also need an earth pony skirmisher after all. I think she'll say yes."

Twilight looked away in a futile attempt to hide her surprise.

"You alright?" Vanguard asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really," Twilight replied after composing herself. "So why Applejack?"

"Why not? She's strong, dependable, and you know her already."

The two of them were quiet for a while. Twilight had finished her coffee by the time she spoke again. "That's all?" she asked.

"What else does she need to be?"

Twilight hesitated. It was as if her mouth had gone out of control and she had to rein it in. Why did she have to ask that anyway? What was she expecting Vanguard to say? "N-nothing," she said. "Nevermind. I'm glad you let me join. Won't you need to do some paperwork for it?"

"I'll take care of it. Just to make sure, if you're in my squad, I expect you to follow orders. Don't think I won't hand out punishments if you get out of line."

"I know," Twilight said. Something was wrong. She should be relieved that Vanguard had finally accepted, but she suddenly had this strange feeling that something bad was happening at the moment.

* * *

><p>On his hidden perch, Longstride watched the skies patiently as the clouds began to clear up. Though he had only recently made his report to Black Rose, he had been waiting by this spot for well over two days now. Under the perch, Hassyth's indoctrinated ponies and their ophidite handler waited for his signal.<p>

He expected to give that signal very soon. Black Rose had promised to "nudge" his target. That could mean a lot of things when it came to how she would do it, but he had only one response. His bow lay next to him, the magical inscriptions glowing softly.

His mark finally showed. He squinted, his enhanced vision making out what was merely a dot with a trail of bright colors following behind it. That was enough. He strung his bow and aimed. "This is Longstride," he said. The device attached to his collar carried his voice to both Black Rose and the ophidite.

"Target sighted."


	24. The Greatest of Us All

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 24: The Greatest of Us All**

_"I don't understand, mistress. If you want me to kill Pinkie Pie, I have a toxin ready to melt whatever passes for her brain. Has she offended you so much that she must be made to suffer first?"_

_Sable stood firm while Black Rose mulled over her question. Though she took fierce pride in her loyalty to the greatest pony Equestria has ever produced, she had never shied away from asking questions._

_"I don't want Pinkie Pie dead," Black Rose replied. "I want her tested as the Element of Joy. If she breaks, then you may end her suffering. Her element will be better off with a stronger bearer. However, I do have faith in her ability to grow. The Elements would not choose so frivolously."_

_Sablesteel continued to stare. Something was wrong with her mistress. Black Rose watched the myriad images that surrounded her as if things were simply business as usual. By now, Black Rose should be enjoying herself immensely. Things were going her way and there were enough little surprises to keep her alert. Seven hundred years ago, she would be smiling widely and humming some nameless tune to herself. Instead, she looked downcast. "Are you alright, mistress?" she asked."You look…sad."_

_A small smile curved Black Rose's lips. "I didn't think you would be concerned over my happiness, Sable."_

_"You might be distracted. The stakes are too high and we have too many enemies."_

_The smile widened. "My moods will not be a problem."_

_"I'll be going then," Sablesteel said. She saluted out of habit, once more having to remind herself that she was no longer a legionnaire._

_"There's the Sable I know," Black Rose replied. "Be off then."_

With a snort, Sablesteel shoved aside the recollection. She was in the woods, just a few miles from Canterlot where she was to take care of a loose end before working on the Element of Joy's "adversity". A group of True Earth Ponies, including one of those that Pinkie Pie had encountered in FangBreaker Fortress, was making its way towards Canterlot. Pinkie Pie's channeler tablet was guiding them unerringly towards her.

_"These True Earth Ponies have done their part by setting Pinkie Pie on the right path to power. I don't need them burdening her with their useless dogma. Sablesteel, I'm letting you take care of all matters related to Pinkie, including these unneeded ponies."_

This was the part Sablesteel liked about her current assignment. No vague "tests of adversity" here. All that was needed was a simple ambush. The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy, providing her with just enough light to spot her prey. She adjusted her breather mask and readied herself.

Sable had always found the True Earth Ponies to be a bizarre lot. Fighting alongside Frenzy Heart along with seven hundred years of dormancy had done nothing to change that opinion. As far as she was concerned, they were just one more cult that hindered Equestria by driving a wedge among its various ponies. There were twelve of them this time. Two channelers, easily recognizable by their stone-faced masks, led the group. The rest were warriors: five armed with large, mouth-held blades and the remaining five armed with crossbows. She studied them carefully. They carried crossbows preferred by the Western Legion: heavy, slow, and capable of bringing down an ursan. No pegasus could wield these monsters and stay aloft.

Once more, Sablesteel found her thoughts straying towards her mistress. This time, it was what her fellow thorn had to say.

_"The mistress is merely adjusting to the fact that this is her first campaign wherein she does not have her beloved's approval," Lion Court said as he walked with Sablesteel through the obsidian hallway._

_"I don't like it," Sablesteel replied. "She looks weak by sulking like that. We are contending with the alicorns themselves. We can't have Black Rose be weak even for a second."_

_"If our mistress showed not even a hint of regret over having to fight the prince, I would have abandoned her cause in a heartbeat," Lion Court said._

_"And I would have made sure it was last heartbeat you ever had," Sablesteel growled. "Black Rose is the greatest of us all because she can and will sacrifice everything and everypony necessary for the good of Equestria. All this…regret stains that fact."_

_Lion Court smiled. "On the contrary, her regret proves all the more that what she has given up is truly important. Don't you understand? She could have stayed the loyal commander and our prince would have willfully ignored the deaths needed to make her immortal. She gave up that 'happy' career to push on with her plans. Isn't that the mark of her ruthlessness that you adore so much, my dear Sable?"_

_"I still don't like it."_

_"And we're back where we started. Did I just converse with a water wheel?"_

Sablesteel snorted and shook her head. She had to focus. She was still frustrated after her talk with Lion Court. These foals were a boon as targets she could take those frustrations out. As she had hoped, the channelers were so busy tracking Pinkie Pie that they didn't notice the tripwire just ahead of them. The first channeler's front legs snagged the trap. Before he could even shout a warning, a volley of darts flew from the vegetation. Three of them found homes in his neck, pumping his bloodstream with a vicious nerve toxin so quickly that he was no longer breathing by the time his partner checked up on him.

The others aimed their weapons towards where the darts had fired. That was Sablesteel's cue. She pressed a button on her right foreleg device, causing a three-inch long needle to extend just past her hoof, then swooped in from behind the group. She grabbed a crossbow-carrying pony who just a little apart from the rest of his fellows and lifted him past the canopy. A couple of bolts whizzed past her while the rest of the shots were widely off-mark. Her victim wasted no time screaming his lungs out. His crossbow dropped while her flailed with his forelegs.

"Stop struggling, fodder!" Sablesteel muttered. She plunged the needle into the earth pony's gut, dove back into the canopy, then dropped him in the middle of his fellows.

The impact snapped one of the pony's hind legs, but the pain of a bone breaking went ignored with his guts were already churning violently. "Help me!" he cried out weakly. With an agonized moan, he dragged himself towards his fellows. His abdomen was already swelling with building gas when the others looked him over. Cries of alarm followed, but it was too late. The earth pony's midsection burst in horrid explosion of blood and gore, releasing a cloud of toxic yellow haze in the middle of the group. The rest of the earth ponies stumbled out of the cloud, their eyes and noses burning from the poison. Sablesteel swooped into them, her foreleg devices now sporting a pair of envenomed short blades.

The true earth ponies struggled to focus their attacks on the blur that flew past them to no avail. Sablesteel's first pass sliced open three of them, including the surviving channeler. Before she regained some altitude, she dropped a canister, which released another toxic cloud. She circled around them and flew back in, slashing and stabbing with precision. They tried to surround her on her second pass. Instead of flying by, however, she landed in their midst and lashed out. Her hind legs were also armed. When she kicked out, the curved, poisoned blades near her back hooves cut open the chests of those who approached her from behind. The edges of her wings had slender, curving, feather-shaped blades attached to them. Though useless in flight, she brought them to bear whenever she landed. Her tail whipped about and another device, a barbed stinger, buried itself in another pony's neck.

Their lungs and eyes on fire and their bodies full of poison, Sablesteel's targets fell to the ground, twitching and bleeding out. She landed just a few feet from the killing zone and surveyed her work. Despite seven hundred years of dormancy, her ambush was a success. She had to admire Black Rose's ability to essentially rebuild her body.

"W-what's going on here?"

Sablesteel froze. This was not part of her plan. She recognized the high-pitched squeal of a voice, having studied its source as part of her assignment. Despite the impossibility of it, Pinkie Pie was here. Her last sighting was all the way back in Canterlot, wandering its streets and consulting her channeler tablet. She didn't have the instant transport which the Thorns possessed. She wasn't even a pegasus. How could she be here right now?

_Pinkie Pie is a natural channeler, but that is an oversimplification of what she can do. I am assigning her to you, Sable, but I want you to stay sharp. Don't let her silliness lull you into a false sense of safety._

Black Rose was right yet again. Of course Black Rose was right. The greatest pony in the world was always right.

Despite her surprise, Sablesteel turned around confidently. It didn't matter now. She was going to make contact with Pinkie Pie anyway so this sudden meeting only made things more convenient. Being surrounded by a slowly fading haze of poisonous gas and the still twitching bodies of her victims was an added bonus. With a press of a button, she retracted the blades on her front hooves and slowly approached Pinkie Pie.

"Y-y-you killed them!" Pinkie Pie gasped. It was a reaction Sablesteel was used to on the very rare instances she was sighted. Her breather mask was designed not just to protect her from her toxic fumes, but also to intimidate her foes with an alien visage. The rest of her gear was blackened metal, all designed to heighten that appearance in addition to their function as weapons.

"I did," Sablesteel replied. The breather mask partly distorted her voice, making it sound hollow and un-ponylike. Pinkie Pie took a few steps back. "My name is Sablesteel, one of the Thorns." As she moved away from the poison clouds, she removed the breather mask and inhaled sharply, closing her eyes for a moment as she did so. A lone green eye glared at Pinkie. Sablesteel leaned just a little closer. "Look at these and think of those precious to you, Pinkie Pie. I'm going to do worse things to them." She flew through the canopy before she could see any reaction.

* * *

><p>For some time, Pinkie Pie continued to stare at the canopy. The stone had leading her somewhere, but it suddenly veered towards a different course, as if it had picked up a different signal. She wasn't sure how she knew that, but she followed anyway. The next thing she knew, she was staring at this scene of carnage.<p>

Bodies were scattered everywhere while ominous clouds of colored smoke lingered in the air. Nearby trees were smeared with blood and bits of gore. A few of the corpses were still twitching. At the center of it all was…something. It looked like it had the body of a pony, but its outstretched wings were trimmed with black spine-like things. Its legs were also tipped with black material and its tail had some kind of stinger which hung low beneath its hind legs. It looked like a pony crossed with a giant wasp. It walked over and took off its face…helmet as it turned out. The strange creature was a pony. The next thing Pinkie knew, it was gone.

"Wait a moment! What did she just say?"

Pinkie's eyes widened. She looked around in a futile attempt to find the pony-wasp thing, but it was gone. She looked towards Canterlot, then towards Ponyville. What was she going to do? Where was that thing headed towards? Which ponies precious to her did she mean?

* * *

><p><em>"I think you're crazy bringing the ophidites into this, Longstride," Sablesteel said. "This is a pony matter that should be resolved internally."<em>

_"Rainbow Dash is my assignment," Longstride answered."Do you have a paralytic for the job or not?"_

_"Of course I have a paralytic! I perfected my paralytics when I was still in diapers! Just give me the arrows and I'll have them ready."_

_Longstride handed his quiver to Sablesteel, who snatched it._

_"So what are her chances on surviving your test by your estimate?" Sablesteel asked._

_"Zero. She's going to die. Possibly on the first day."_

_Sablesteel raised an eyebrow. "That's harsh, even for you. The Element of Loyalty must have chosen her for a reason, right?"_

_"The Element of Loyalty chose randomly. She dropped out of her flight school due to discipline issues. Discipline is but loyalty to one's self. She doesn't even have that."_

_Sablesteel frowned. "Our mistress asked you to test her, not kill her."_

_"I am testing her."_

_"With something guaranteed to kill her. That's not testing, Longstride, that's murder."_

_"The mistress asked for a test fit for the Element of Loyalty. I gave one. Whether_ she _can pass or not is not my concern. I repeat, Sablesteel, Rainbow Dash is my assignment."_

_"Fine! Whatever! Just come by me later to get these arrows!"_

Longstride held the paralytic-treated arrows and nocked one of them. His targets were barely more than spots over the horizon, one trailed by rainbow colors and the other, red. "Begin interception," he told the indoctrinated pegasi still lounging beneath his perch. As his target neared, he saw legs, frantically beating wings, and a sky blue coat. He made out his target's "cutie mark", a bolt of rainbow-colored lightning emerging from a cloud. It may as well be a bulls-eye. He aimed for that spot and let the bowstring go.

The runes on Longstride's bow glowed brightly as their magic activated, granting his shot a range that no ordinary weapon could grant. The arrow was gone in a blink and it wasn't long until he got his result. "This is Longstride," he said to his communicating device. The sky blue figure plummeted. "Long range shot successful." He watched as Hassyth's pegasi streaked towards Rainbow Dash.

The red figure quickly reacted to the sudden attack and dove for the falling pegasus. Longstride nocked his second arrow and adjusted his aim.

* * *

><p>Scarlet grinned from ear to ear as he followed Rainbow Dash to very edges of Canterlot. She was heading for a good spot. He was already itching to get his weights off and start racing seriously. The mare's rainbow-colored tail fluttered about just a few feet away. He hoped that it was the same sight he would see during their actual race.<p>

Rainbow veered sharply to one side, as if something had slammed into her. Scarlet dove in after her. "Rainbow!" he called out. She didn't respond. For a moment, he was afraid that Rainbow Dash was dead already. He caught her with his forelegs and breathed a quick sigh of relief when he felt her inhale. Her open eyes darted wildly, her mouth seemed frozen in the middle of crying out. Her wings were still outstretched and resisted stiffly when he gave them a little push. "Rainbow!" There was still no response. Though she was breathing, the rest of her was rigid. His eyes went to her flank and spotted an arrow buried where the lightning bolt met the cloud on her cutie mark.

'Sniper.'

The thought barely registered in Scarlet's mind when something struck his flank as well. Shock and pain coursed through his body. Rainbow fell from his grasp as both of them started to plummet. This was impossible, they were a long way from the ground and he didn't see any spot where a sniper could hide in. Where had to the shot come from?

_Armed with a magical bow with line-of-sight range._

'Longstride,' Scarlet thought. He berated himself furiously for not keeping a better eye out. If he considered something as ridiculous as line-of-sight range, there were plenty of places for that shot to come from. But why was Longstride going after him and Rainbow Dash? He tried desperately to flap his wings to no avail. 'Shot in the flank again…' he thought. He spotted a group of pegasi flying towards him from the edges of his periphery. 'The Captain's going to kill me…'

* * *

><p>"Second long range shot successful," Longstride said to his communicating device. In truth, Scarlet Rabbit was already expendable, The only reason he was still alive was because pretenses of working with Hassyth had to be kept. By the end of this mission, an arrow might still find a home in Scarlet's skull.<p>

The pegasi flying to intercept the two were on target. It wasn't long until Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit were under ophidite custody. 'Too easy,' Longstride thought. It was disgrace that the Element of Loyalty would pick so poor a candidate as its bearer. He could have aimed for Rainbow Dash's heart and the elements would be a bearer short. The pegasi patrols were nowhere near the incident. Longstride wasn't surprised. That was likely the nudge that Black Rose promised. The patrols could be distracted by some other incident. They could very well be her agents already.

Longstride flew out of his perch. Hashymissa and her ponies were down there already securing their two captives. He had no inclination to help them get out of Equestria and get back to Ophidus.

_"I like your plan, Longstride, it's bold and interesting," Black Rose said._

_"Thank you, mistress," Longstride replied._

_"But it's also dangerous. I don't want to lose Rainbow Dash to the ophidites. If we are coming very close to losing her in Ophidus, kill them. If they break her, put her out of her misery."_

_"Understood."_

_"And, Longstride…"_

_"Yes, mistress?"_

_"Try to have a little faith in Rainbow Dash."_

Faith in Rainbow Dash…that was something Longstride doubted he'd ever have. To make matters worse, it seemed as if he was the only thorn who noticed just how grave the situation was. He didn't have faith in any of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, least of all Rainbow Dash. The best course of action was to kill them all and hope that the Elements of Harmony picked better bearers.

But Black Rose believed in the strength of these fillies. She had always been something of a gambler, but she was risking the fate of Equestria here. He didn't see what could merit that gamble. He didn't' see potential and he wasn't interested in it. Each bearer needed years of experience and training as well as a good show of their discipline and skill before he would even begin to believe that they were worthy of carrying the manifestations of the virtues that Equestria was founded upon. 'If Black Rose really does see something in you, Rainbow Dash, then you ought to survive this minor test of mine."

Longstride flew off. Outwardly, it appeared as if his job of helping the Hassyth's group was over and he was returning to his post. In truth, he was going to go to another hiding spot. He didn't trust Hashymissa or her pony-shaped snakes not to eat the two on the trip back to Ophidus. If Rainbow Dash was going to die, it will be because she failed miserably, not because some ophidite suddenly thought she was better off being dinner.

* * *

><p>"Oh, Longstride, why did you have to shoot her there? It's going to ruin her cutie mark."<p>

Black Rose sighed and set aside the magical image. Of all her thorns, it was Longstride she was most worried about. Lion Court was always the gentlecolt and Sablesteel knew how to work with delicate substances. Longstride believed in his aim and little else. His rough handling was certainly going to be a challenge for Rainbow Dash. She focused on the other bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Twilight Sparkle was going to need her personal touch. She owed that one that much. Applejack was also going to need another nudge.

There was also work to be done. Information about Rainbow Dash's capture had to be filtered carefully to gain the required reactions. Everything had to be carefully managed or this could get out of hoof very quickly.

As for Fluttershy…well, that was a problem she was still mulling over. Her plan for Fluttershy called for a lot of resources being moved and a great deal of casualties. The whole bordered on not being worth it. Poking a wrath dragon was less dangerous than trying to tap into "the Stare".

With a wave of her hoof, Black Rose dismissed all the magical images and lay her head down on her bed. She began to mumble the words for a short sleep spell. It had come to the point that she basically had to knock herself unconscious or risk suffering from a lack of sleep. Even with these breaks, urgency tugged at her mind. Her agents might discover something that needed her attention. A situation might change or an opportunity might arrive. She couldn't afford to spend hours just lying on her bed with her eyes open.

Magically induced sleep, however, was a poor substitute for the sort of rest she craved. It had been a day since she last slept, but she could barely recall the last time she was at ease. When she first emerged from her dormancy, she had been confident that she could weather this problem without any trouble. Now, as her plans slowly reached their crucial moments, it was only getting worse.

To complicate matters, her thorns were starting to notice. She wasn't worried about betrayal. Even Blue Moon's was accounted for before it even happened. Morale, would certainly suffer if her troops saw her faltering. Unless…

Black Rose's thoughts slipped towards a familiar, gray alicorn. The sleep spell was starting to take hold and she wanted her next wakeful thoughts to be pleasant. If it was only possible to smother her worries with memories of those nights…an idea suddenly came to mind. Before she drifted off, she was already smiling with approval. It was dangerous and certainly a mite reckless, but it just might work.


	25. Deep Waters

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 25: Deep Waters**

'Oh, Clover the Clever, just how deep did you delve?'

More of the spidery scrip seemed to float before her as Luna turned the page. Having taken it upon herself to decipher the book and discover Clover the Clever's plan to open the way to the Blasphemous Rift, she had gone straight to the Chamber of Harmony as soon as she finished breakfast.

Having to do all this deciphering in the presence of Starswirl the Bearded's coffin was a little uncomfortable, but her brother had insisted on delaying its burial until he was absolutely sure it was not needed elsewhere. Luna had agreed reluctantly. Propriety demanded that they treat the corpse with respect, but worse things than being improper would happen if it turned out that they actually needed it.

As for the actual work, progress has been slow. Not only did she have to be constantly disturbed by her other responsibilities, the actual reading was difficult. It was clear now why Clover the Clever wasn't called Clover the Elegant Writer. The entire book was also written in reverse, much to Luna's irritation. There didn't even seem to be any purpose for doing so except to make it extra difficult for anypony to make heads or tails of what was written.

The earlier sections of the book dealt with an incomplete and crude version of an ascension ritual. Luna didn't bother too much with this part. Her brother had created a complete and more efficient one. It did impress on her that Clover the Clever was aware of Oceanus's spark within each mortal pony. This part wasn't useful and only served to ensure that this book's contents must not spread.

The next section included Clover's notes on the poison she used on Starswirl the Bearded. Again, more known information. What caught Luna's attention was that this section resembled a cross between laboratory notes and a diary.

_"That mud-brained donkey just added bells to his hat. Bells! He looks like jester going around the villages to amuse foals with bowl-shaping spells and pyrotechnics! At this rate, they'll forget that he was a great spellcaster. All I'll be known as is the disciple of Starswirl the Clown!"_

Luna shook her head. Just how angry and obsessed did one pony have to be to jot these tiny ramblings down alongside serious work? The notes themselves were meticulous, almost too detailed. Clover savored developing this section. Several pages were dedicated solely to her gloating over having finally murdered Starswirl the Bearded. As Luna read on, she began to suspect that the coffin was not much of a further use. It was a remnant of Clover the Clever's obsession with surpassing her mentor and should be buried at last.

Finally, Luna reached the section involving something new. New and disturbing. She spotted the first mention of Princess Platinum's discovery of Regia Carnifex. The notes became more difficult to read. Clover the Clever's writing worsened with her excited pace. Various spells, all attempts to free Regia Carnifex were listed down, each one written off as a failure.

_"A handmaiden of the Deep Father contacted me today. She called herself Lunalux Umbra and told me about who the pony trapped in the crystal was."_

"Nightmare Moon," Luna muttered. "Of course she was involved somehow." She read on, the dread within her continuing to mount.

_"Lunalux Umbra offered to merge with me, but I refused. If I had agreed, then everything we accomplish will only be to her credit. I will rise in the Deep Father's service on my own."_

Luna's frown deepened as she skimmed over more pages of ranting. They were becoming more prevalent now. As time went along, Clover became more prone to these delusions of grandeur. She couldn't stop talking about her "Everlasting Kingdom". Hours passed before something useful showed up.

_"The key lies in Regia Carnifex. Through him, I can create a mental link to the Deep Father himself and I can do so as far as being a mile away. I cannot do this now with the Deep Father still slumbering, but the chances of success will rise as the time of his return draws nearer."_

Luna turned the pages more carefully now. After wading through Clover's crazy, this was a relief. The words filled her with foreboding. More than a thousand years had passed since this was written and Oceanus's time was all but looming over them. The next several pages did not contain whatever spell Clover had developed. They were filled with rants against Lexarius. She had to smile as she read on. Lexarius had arrived just in time.

_"I must get to the Crystal Grave. The spell is ready and, with the amplifier Pudding Head and Smart Cookie created, I can break through the seals that Lexarius created and loose the Deep Father's weapon upon him."_

Luna stopped on the word "amplifier" for a while. The ponies in charge of sifting through the hidden archives mentioned nothing about such a thing.

_"The amplifier is gone. Curse you, Rock Maven! There is no time to lose, I must make it to the Refuge Burrows and take it from him."_

The archive ponies mentioned Rock Maven before. So whatever "amplifier" that Pudding Head and Smart Cookie came up with was taken by the founder of the True Earth Ponies. Where was it now? Was it still with them? Was it lost when the True Earth Ponies migrated to the Barrier Lands? Where were these "Refuge Burrows" now?"

_"I am in danger of being caught. Lexarius has been persistent in chasing after me. I have no choice but to write the spell down. If I fail, perhaps one day, a true son or daughter of the Deep Father will take up our rightful destiny. For now, our Everlasting Kingdom must sleep along with the Deep Father until the time is right."_

That was the last entry as far as Clover the Clever's movements were concerned. Luna turned one more page out of curiosity. What was this spell that the poor deluded mortal had accomplished? At the turn of the page, however, Luna suddenly realized that she had made a mistake. The spidery letters, much bigger than how the rest of the book was written, danced before her eyes. She tried to look away, but she found herself frozen on the spot. Each letter burned itself into her mind and it was a slow, slide to completely reading the spell.

Upon reading the entire thing, the floor beneath Luna disappeared. She heard a vague splashing sound. The next thing she knew, she was completely submerged in water. The Chamber of Harmony had turned into a darkness so deep that she couldn't even see her own hoof in front of her. She tried to cast a spell, but her power fizzled before she could even begin. Fighting her rising panic, she tried to get her bearings. The task proved impossible. She was completely submerged and she couldn't see. She didn't even know if she was upside down or not. The freezing water pricked at her skin like hundreds of tiny needles.

**"What…is…this? It…is…not yet…time…"**

The languid voice was barely a whisper, as if the one speaking was barely aware of where he was and what was going on. The sound gripped Luna's heart tightly. Oceanus. She had never heard him speak before. She had never even seen him throughout her life. All she knew of the firstborn was from what she heard and read within the Eternal Herd. Still, she recognized this voice. She wasn't sure if it sounded only within her mind or if it traveled through the water, but she refused to answer. Unfortunately, that meant that she had to stop thinking and, deprived of every one of her senses, that was impossible.

She felt something touch one of her hooves.

The thing felt cold, so cold that it stood out despite the freezing water. It felt like kind of snake or a tentacle, no thicker than typical rope. It wrapped around her left hind leg, gently tugging her towards its direction. She tried to pull away, but the tentacle held her fast. A second one wrapped itself around her other hind leg.

There was no fighting back the panic anymore. Her lungs starting to burn, Luna struggled to free herself, but all she accomplished was entangle herself even more. A third tentacle wrapped around her torso, pinning both her wings in place. Its tip rested where her cutie mark was.

**"Luna…"**

Disgust mingled with panic when Luna heard her name. More of the vile limbs tangled themselves around her. All her legs were now stretched out in different directions. Another one coiled itself around her neck and made its way to her face.

**"I…am your king…swear…fealty."**

Unable to open her mouth, Luna could only shake her head. Something was welling up inside her, something that wanted desperately to say yes. With her lungs starting to give way, she gave up physically struggling and focused everything on holding back this part of her. Even that was a losing battle.

Oceanus's voice was gathering strength. Though still weak, its confidence was unmistakable. **"You let Umbra inside…you have no defense against me. Upon my return…I will call you to my side… and you will answer joyously…"**

Luna felt herself slipping away. The tentacles pulled her under effortlessly, dragging her deeper and deeper into the abyss. The freezing pain had gone away, replaced by a numbing ache.

"Luna!"

Terrato's shout broke through the oppressive nothingness. Luna's eyes fluttered open at that sound as she felt a pair of powerful forelegs wrap around her torso. The next thing she knew, she had been pulled out of the water and onto a hard, stone floor. She took a great lungful of air and coughed violently.

"Terrato! She's freezing and soaking wet!"

That sounded like Celestia. Luna tried to look around, but she could barely make out anything. She tried to rise, only to flop against the floor. All she could make out was that she was somewhere that had light and she was shivering uncontrollably. Two pairs of forelegs wrapped around her in a tight hug.

"Hold still!" Terrato said. Luna heard him exhale loudly. Warmth, blessed and much needed warmth, enveloped her, taking away the chill that gnawed at her bones. This wasn't the warmth of sunlight, but of the great heat within the earth itself. Luna pressed against her siblings and savored the feeling. A moment passed and she caught a whiff of something that accompanied that wonderful warmth.

Celestia was already coughing and gagging when Luna noticed it. Her nose wrinkled and she poked her brother with a hoof weakly. "Big brother!" she said.

"What?" Terrato asked.

"Your breath reeks of booze!" Luna said. "I swear, if I had a match, I could light it on fire right now!"

"Don't be a prissy milksop!" Terrato said, the chagrin unmistakable in his voice. "I was sharing a barrel with some of the officers when you decided to take your little swim. You shouldn't complain when you smell of salt spray and dead fish, little sister!"

"I asked you to get rid of those extra barrels stashed in the palace, Terrato," Celestia said.

"What did you think we were doing?"

Celestia was about to say something else, but she shifted her attention to Luna instead. "Are you feeling better now?" she asked. "What happened?"

Luna nodded. Her coat was dry and she had already cast her own spells to quickly recover. "That Clover the Clever…" she said. "She's created a spell that could link to Oceanus's realm by drawing from Regia Carnifex's proximity."

Terrato's eyes narrowed in thought. Luna guessed that he was considering the implications and likely arrived at the same conclusion she did. The power of Oceanus would be enough to break through the seals. There wasn't even any need to release Regia Carnifex. His dormant form simply needed to be close.

"Is that what happened to you? You linked to Oceanus's realm?" Celestia asked.

"I think," Luna replied. She looked at her siblings. This was the first time she had seen the two of them so close to each other in a long, long time. "Clover the Clever needed an amplifier developed by Pudding Head and Smart Cookie, but it may not be needed with the ninth rebellion so close." She paused and stared at the two of them. "How did the two of you get here anyway?"

"I was taking care of some reports when I just felt that something terrible was happening here," Celestia said. "I rushed over to see and I met Terrato along the way."

"I felt the exact same thing," Terrato said. "When we got here, you were floating and your eyes were glowing. We had to snap you out of it. When we did, you were suddenly soaking wet and freezing. Just what did you see while you were in that spell?"

"It was too dark to see anything," Luna replied. "He was there, though. I heard him speak." Her voice trembled as she recalled those moments. "He toyed with me as if I was some helpless foal and he was barely even awake!"

"It's alright," Celestia said. "It's over now and there's no need to feel ashamed. Oceanus had the might to challenge our father, remember?"

Luna nodded. She kept the horrible feeling of joy she felt when Oceanus was speaking to herself. There were too many worries already without adding to those concerns. On the day of the ninth rebellion, she was going to have to find the strength to resist the firstborn's influence. She nestled between her two siblings, seeking more of their warmth. 'You're wrong, Oceanus,' she thought. 'I still have some defense against you.'

* * *

><p>She opened her eyes for the first time in what felt like years. Her entire body still felt numb and heavy. A fly buzzed around her head, then landed on her ear. When that ear flicked instinctively, she suddenly became aware that she had control over her body again. She stood up, only to find herself chained to the spot. Her wings were bound tightly to her sides. She was also wearing a set of reins and a bridle. Pain suddenly shot through her body, forcing her to kneel down. She looked towards her flank and found it wrapped in bloody bandages.<p>

'Where am I?'

Even thinking that lone thought felt like trying to squeeze water out of a rock. Her head felt so heavy and she seemed to look at the world through a haze of garbled, unfinished thoughts. All she could tell was that she was inside some kind of tent. What had happened? She tried to remember the last few events before she fell unconscious. Her eyes squinted from the effort, but all that came to mind was a dim moment of flying and then falling.

The tent flap suddenly rose and she backed away from it instinctively. Some creature, a monstrous snake, slithered inside. The thing was around six feet from its nose to its tail and was covered in dull brown scales. It had a muscular torso, more like an ape's than a snake's, and a pair of arms sprouted from its side. Golden, unblinking, reptilian eyes appraised her coldly while a pair hands rubbed against each other in anticipation.

"The coatl-pony is finally awake," the snake creature hissed. "Good, good, now you can stop being dead-weight." It fiddled with a ring of keys and unlocked the chains that kept her bound. With one hand, it grabbed hold of the reins and tugged at them, forcing her to take a step forward. "Move, coatl-pony!"

She tried to pull back, but the snake creature was relentless. Her hooves dragged on the ground as it continued to pull. Coatl-pony? That wasn't her name. Her name was…it was…she shook her head. It was…something. It was just so hard to think. With a powerful tug, the snake creature pulled her out of the tent. She looked upward and saw stars. Was it the night immediately after she was knocked out or had she spent an entire day being unconscious?

"Stand here," the snake creature hissed. It pulled her to a spot in front of the tent. Others came toward them and they were surrounded by four ponies, all of them pegasi. She tried to pull away again. She didn't like all the eyes on her, but the chains were heavy and snake creature held her in place. The nearby ponies eyed her with indifference. "This one's spirited," the snake creature crowed. "The Befuddling Grass extract is fogging her brain up, but she still insists on putting up a fight!" The snake creature produced some kind of pointed prod, shaped to resemble a snake fang. With one swift flick of the wrist, it pricked her back.

She cried out and fell to her knees. The tiny wound burned as if a red-hot poker had been jabbed into her back. Her body seized up and the pain spread to her legs.

"Nasty isn't it?" the snake creature hissed. "This is called 'Emperor's Tears'. It does little lasting damage, but even a drop is pure pain." The snake creature held its face close to hers. "Do you want me to prick you again?" it asked.

Tears welling up in her eyes, she shook her head. The pain was already beginning to subside and she didn't want to feel it anymore.

"Get up," the snake creature said. It produced something else in its other hand. This time it looked like a small piece of white bread. "Eat this." She took a sniff when the snake creature held it up close to her snout. "Now!"

Still frightful of the awful sting, she bit the piece and ate it. The piece of food was chewy and a little tough, not like bread at all. She hadn't even swallowed when she started to feel it. Elation, like a soothing balm that took away the painful sting, briefly washed over her. For a few seconds, she simply stood there dumbfounded and expecting more. By the time she swallowed, however, the feeling was gone.

"And that is called 'Fool's Cap' or, as you ponies call it, 'the 'shrooms'. Obey me and you may yet find out what a full dose feels like." She closed her eyes, trying to hold on to the lingering traces of euphoria. The snake creature shook her out of it and forced her to stand again. "Hold still."

The snake creature grabbed hold of her head and began to feel around her face. "Skull is in good condition," it said. "No deformities." Nearby, one pegasus was writing down on a piece of paper. The snake creature's fingers pried into her lips, eventually forcing her to open her mouth. "Teeth are complete and healthy."

The snake creature's hands moved down her neck, then torso. "Small build. Wings are well developed. Hips are narrow, possible problems with breeding. Coat is in good condition." She felt the scaly hands move down her legs. She shuddered when the snake creature took hold of a hoof and lifted it up. "Legs are strong. Hooves show no signs of cracking." The snake creature grabbed hold of her tail and held it up with both hands. "Mane and tail are in excellent condition. And the coloration…" The snake creature sounded breathless. "Remarkable."

She shrank on the spot. The constant staring and attention was too much. She was about to breathe a sigh of relief that the snake creature's "inspection" was done when she felt its grip on her tail tighten. Before she could tell what was going on, the snake creature lifted her tail for several seconds and stared intently. Satisfied, it released its grip. "Good, good," it hissed. "Hassyth's sources were not exaggerating. This one is an excellent find. We must get her to Ophidus as quickly as possible."

"Mistress Hashymissa," one of the pegasi said. "The other one is still struggling against his bonds. Should we use the Befuddling Grass extract on him too?"

"No," Hashymissa replied. "Scarlet Rabbit is too angry and too familiar with us. It won't have any effect on him. A pity too. It is likely that we are bringing him back only for Hassyth to personally cut his losses. Make sure his bonds are secure and load him into the cart. As for this one…" Hashymissa rubbed her hands together as she stared at her. "Such a find. This mare will ensure that we live in luxury for the rest of our lives!"

With that, Hashymissa grabbed hold of the reins. Exhausted, humiliated, and still unable to think straight, she could only let herself be led away.

* * *

><p>Sugarcube Corner, once one of Ponyville's busiest places, now found itself in a particular bind. Many of its valued customers had been drafted and had already gone off to the training camp near Cloudsdale. A few ponies still occupied the tables and enjoyed their famous pastries, but the mood was not what it used to be and both Cakes knew that it likely will never be what it used to. A loud wail made them turn their heads. One of their foals was crying.<p>

"I'll get it," Carrot Cake said with a smile. He trotted off and Cup Cake could only sigh and be glad that he was still around. As it turned out, there was another exemption to the draft. Ponies with very young foals were not expected to join the Legion. Cup Cake saw that some of the legionnaires conducting the draft were not happy with this, but they followed their rules without complaint.

It was early evening and the last customer of the day had just finished paying when the door to the bakery burst open. Cup Cake looked worriedly to see what had happened. To her shock, it was Pinkie Pie. She was drenched with sweat and gasping for air. She took a few steps into the bakery, then collapsed.

"Pinkie!" Cup Cake exclaimed. She ran over to the fallen pony, hesitant as to whether she should help Pinkie to her hooves or get her something to drink.

"Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie gasped. "Where's Mr. Cake? And the twins? Are they safe? They're not hurt are they?"

"They're fine, dearie," Cup Cake said. "Certainly in much better condition than you. Come on, let's get you to a sofa. Goodness, what happened to you?"

"They're fine?" Pinkie's face brightened. "That's wonderful!" The happy expression quickly crumbled into fresh worry. "Quick, you have to get to Canterlot! I can make sure you're safe better there! And I have to get to Canterlot! She could be after my friends!" Pinkie started to head for the door when Cup Cake pulled her back.

"Hold on a minute here!" Cup Cake said. "What are you talking about? Why should we go to Canterlot? And why do you need to get there?"

"The pony wasp! I mean Stable Seal! I mean Sablesteel! She's out to get ponies who are important to me, but I don't know who!" She struggled against Cup Cake's hold, but she couldn't break free.

"What's going on out here?" Carrot Cake asked. He walked back into the bakery with the twins sitting on his back. Both Pumpkin and Pound Cake looked delighted to see Pinkie again. "Pinkie Pie? Shouldn't you be in Canterlot? How did you even get here? Wait a minute…did you actually run here?"

"She says that somepony is out to get us, honey," Cup Cake said. "Some kind of seal…or was it a wasp?"

"Sablesteel!" Pinkie exclaimed. "She could still be out to get you! I need you somewhere nearby!"

"Pinkie, I'm glad that you care so much, but you can't just expect us to suddenly move to Canterlot this very minute," Cup Cake said. "We'd have to relocate our whole business and-!"

"But you'll die!" Pinkie Pie covered her mouth with her hooves after that outburst. Both Carrot and Cup Cake looked at her in shock. Pumpkin started to cry and her brother soon followed.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but I…I just don't know what to do! She could be out there right now! She-she-!" She struggled to break free from Cup Cake, but she was just so exhausted that she couldn't.

"Pinkie Pie, it's alright." Cup Cake rubbied Pinkie's fluffy mane. "We're going to be alright."

Pinkie tried to say something else, but her lips quivered and then she simply burst into tears. She buried her face against Cup Cake and started sobbing. "I-I just don't-!"

"Shush now, Pinkie," Cup Cake said. "We'll get through this."

"You just stay here for the night," Carrot Cake added. "Not even you can run from Canterlot to Ponyville and back again. You get some sleep. Tomorrow, things will be clearer."

Pinkie let herself be mollified and brought towards her old room. As she started to climb the stairs, however, she seemed to catch a glimpse of something by the window. She blinked several times and looked harder. The Cakes looked to see what it was and saw nothing. Pinkie bit her lip and trembled. It was all that both Cakes could do to keep her from bolting.


	26. Justifications

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 26: Justifications**

It was already evening by the time Lion Court returned to Black Rose's headquarters. The remainder of the day had not been as interesting as he had hoped it would be. Instead of enjoying a leisurely afternoon getting to know the Element of Generosity a little better, he ended up being kept busy dealing with the details of somepony else's mission. He strode the hall that connected the rooms of his fellow thorns and then smiled when he caught sight of a gray, earth pony mare fiddling with the door to her room. "Octavia," he greeted her. "How was your day?"

Octavia seemed startled at first. Then she noticed who it was and dipped her head slightly in greeting. "Mister Lion Court, welcome back," she said.

"Mister?" Lion Court asked with mock surprise. "Now where did this formality come from?"

A look of confusion crossed Octavia's face briefly. "Well, you are a senior member of our group aren't you?" she asked.

"Seniority does not rate very high among our group's concerns, Octavia," Lion Court said. He walked closer so that he stood right in front of her. "You may have noticed that we don't carry ranks either. The Thorns stand as equals before each other with only Black Rose as our leader." His lips parted in a warm smile. "So please, my friends call me Lion for short."

"A-alright then, Mis-I mean Lion."

"Now, may I ask where you're going?"

Octavia looked away briefly before answering. "I'm going to tell some of my family about my new job. And possibly some of my old band mates if I could find them."

Lion Court nodded in understanding. "Of course," he said. "But the hour has grown quite late and the ponies you'll be speaking with are likely asleep."

Octavia looked around. "Is it that late already?" she asked. "It's hard to tell with these halls."

"There are devices in your quarters that can indicate the time of day," Lion Court said. "I'll help you with them if you like. For now, you should get some sleep. I imagine this is a lot to take in."

"You're right," Octavia said with a nod. She yawned and then opened the door to her quarters. Before she went in, however, she paused and then turned to face Lion Court again. "Lion," she began hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"So what instrument do you play?"

Lion Court raised an eyebrow. "I dabble a bit in piano and violin," he replied. "But my music is for mere recreation. It's certainly not worthy of even being mentioned alongside yours in any discussion."

Octavia closed her eyes and inhaled deeply to compose herself. "Then…why recruit me?" she asked. "I had thought at first that "The Thorns" were a band of sorts, but those weapons around your belt and the way Miss Sablesteel was dressed just a few hours ago…is this some kind of private fighting group? I can't…" Her voice trailed off.

"Your concern is understandable," Lion Court replied. "Know that we recruited you for your musical talents which means that you are expected perform with those talents, not something else. The Thorns are not mere fighters. We are an elite group that handles most of our mistress's affairs so the talent pool is certainly...diverse."

Octavia looked partially mollified by Lion Court's response. His smile widened a bit. This mare was certainly no fighter and he knew that the moment he had spotted her in that café. Still, Warsinger picked her so the inherent talents to wield it must lie within her. There was no need to prod her in any way. All she needed was a gentle nudge. "But what is Black Rose's goal?" she asked.

"Nothing short of Equestria's glory," Lion Court replied confidently.

Octavia stared at Lion Court for a while. Eventually, she couldn't help but return his smile. "I'll just rest for tonight then," she said.

"Oh, and another thing," Lion Court said. "You mentioned Sable. Is she here at the moment?"

"Yes."

Lion Court bowed one more time and let the earth pony go back to her room. He made his way through the hall. Despite his weariness, he did not head towards his room, but to somepony else's. He knocked on the door and, when nopony answered, he pulled out his own key and entered anyway.

Sablesteel's quarters were easily the biggest out of all the thorns. They were also second only to Longstride's when it came to lack of luxury. Three quarters of the room were taken up by a laboratory where Sablesteel plied the craft handed down to her by her grandfather. Vials, beakers, and other sorts of paraphernalia adorned several tables, each one meticulously labeled. One area of the room held containers for various live snakes, spiders and other poisonous creatures while another had a stand which held her gear.

As far as comfort was concerned, there was a bed by one corner and a nightstand. Lion Court shook his head at the simplicity. At least it was a step up from the rug that Longstride used. At the center of the laboratory was Sablesteel herself. The pegasus mare was making adjustments to her foreleg devices and replacing its used up poison cartridges with fresh ones.

"I'm busy," Sablesteel said. Without even looking, she waved a hoof dismissively.

"I imagine you would be," Lion Court replied. He walked into the room and stood just a little behind her. "So busy, in fact, that I didn't expect you to be back here so quickly."

"Neither did I," Sablesteel said. "That pink pony is a volatile one. I expected to scare her, but not that much. Now I don't even have to follow up. She's probably seeing me everywhere without my help."

"The chosen are more sensitive than you think," Lion Court said. "Of course this means that there really is no need for you to actually kill her loved ones, right?"

"I might just to spite you for constantly bothering me about it," Sablesteel replied. She pressed a button on the foreleg device, causing a blade to spring forth. She inspected the piece, making sure that it was still razor-sharp and free of any notches or cracks. "I said that I'm not making any promises. I might decide to perform a little corrective surgery on some baker's underbite or try a new formula on some 'random' rock farm."

"I'm noticing a distinct lack of smiling on your part, my dear Sable."

Sablesteel put down the foreleg device and stared grimly at the table. "You know that I've done a lot of horrible things to a lot of ponies, Lion," she said.

"More so than any of us," Lion replied. "You do have the highest kill count in our group and that's without bringing in non-ponies."

"But each one of those targets shared one thing in common. They brought it on themselves one way or another: they were a danger to Equestria, they got on Black Rose's bad side, they were idiots…"

"True," Lion said. He had a good guess as to where this was going. "And Pinkie Pie?"

"Pinkie Pie doesn't deserve this." Sablesteel moved from the tables to where the rest of her gear were and replaced the foreleg device. "She's not a criminal or a spy or even an inconvenient pony to have around. She's just some farmer's daughter who happens to be the Element of Joy. The Blackmoon Blades reacted to threats. They never-!" Sablesteel caught herself and then snorted in frustration.

"The Blackmoon Blades died along with your grandfather, Sable," Lion said softly. "We are the Thorns and we do as Black Rose commands."

"I know," Sable replied. "It's just…assassinating some traitor is a lot different from scaring some mare witless in order to suck all the joy out of her life."

"And yet our tasks are graver now than they have ever been," Lion Court said, his words taking on a stern tone.

"Don't mistake my musings as traitor talk, Lion," Sablesteel hissed. "I'm not like our mistress's spineless brother. Just because I'll make some noise about it doesn't mean I won't skin every foal in the Heartland at her command."

"Nopony doubts that," Lion Court said, his tone lightening again.

"Nopony better," Sablesteel muttered. She walked towards Lion Court.

"I should be going then," Lion Court said. "We both need our rest."

"You're not going anywhere."

"Oh?" Lion Court looked at Sablesteel askance. In response, she walked right up to him and gave him a vicious shove, knocking him on his back and straight onto her bed.

"You think you can just walk into my room and lecture me?" she asked angrily. "You've pissed me off, Lion, you and that wretched pink pony. I'm taking it out on you or my work will suffer tomorrow."

"Well, we can't have that," Lion Court said with a smile. His horn glowed briefly, making sure that the door to the room was locked. "I suppose I'll take one for the team."

Sablesteel placed her forelegs on either side of the unicorn, pinning him in place. She fixed her eyes on him intently, letting some of her mane droop past her and brush against his face.

Lion Court inhaled deeply. The pungent odor of poisonous gas, harmless at this point, still clung to Sablesteel's mane and coat. She had not bathed since coming back from her mission. Though she had likely wiped herself down, she was still grimy, and she stank of blood and dried sweat. He licked his lips as desire flickered within.

"One," Sablesteel said with a snort. She pressed her lips against Lion Court's sword belt and began unbuckling it with her teeth. "If you tire out at one, I'll gut you."

The magical light that illuminated the room dimmed all around the two in response to Sablesteel's will. Black Rose's light enchantments were tailor-made for each thorn's room. Black Rose's magic was far from Lion Court's mind for now, however. He matched her stare, admiring how the pegasus's green and blue eyes still stood out despite the dim surroundings. "Until you're satisfied then," he said.

* * *

><p>It was already evening when Applejack walked the halls of the Royal Palace on her way to the audience hall. She had decided to take Vanguard's advice and see the royal siblings, but had left off the matter until the day was over. The royalty were, after all, likely busy with so many things and she shouldn't disturb them in the middle of the day. However, instead of winding down, the palace seemed to come even more alive as evening settled. The palace staff were whispering worriedly among themselves while a group of legionnaires walked down the hall urgently.<p>

"Applejack!"

The earth pony stopped when somepony called her name from behind. She turned around and spotted Twilight Sparkle walking towards her. "Hey, Twilight," she said as the purple unicorn caught up with her. "You need something?"

Twilight saluted in response. "I just wanted to talk, vice-captain," she said.

Applejack cringed at the gesture and then looked around her. She drew Twilight aside so they could talk in private. "Uh…look, Twilight, I know we're in the same squad and all, but there's no need to get all uptight with the rank," she said. "We're still friends first, alright?"

Twilight smiled in response. "I was just teasing, Applejack," she said. "Congratulations are in order I suppose."

Applejack scratched her head in embarrassment. "Y-yeah," she mumbled. She was still dazed by that development. Just a few hours earlier, Vanguard had asked to talk to her privately and then sprang the invitation.

_"So what's this about, Vanguard?"_

_"I'm not going to mince words over this, Applejack. I have an earth pony skirmisher spot in my squad and I want you to be the one to fill it."_

_"I…uh…well…this is so sudden. I mean…I'm flattered and all but aren't there legionnaires who can fight even better?"_

_"Don't sell yourself short. Special Operations has eyes all over the Legion to check on candidates and you're not anywhere in the bottom of our list. And there are other circumstances…"_

_"It's because Twilight joined up isn't it?"_

_"Interesting…how'd you know?"_

_"Just a guess. It sounds like something Twilight would do."_

_"She did. That's one more reason. You're still listed as my vice-captain. I don't think there's any need to correct that. Or even consider it a mistake."_

_"Well…alright. You look like you really need the help, Vanguard."_

_Vanguard's looked at Applejack curiously. "That was fast," he remarked. "You know you could say you need to think about this some more."_

_"I thought so too," Applejack replied. "I guess I just can't say no when you ask me all serious like that. Besides, you'll need help reining Twilight and Scarlet in."_

_Vanguard smiled and moved closer, patting Applejack on the shoulder. "True," he said. "I can always count on you, can I?"_

Applejack shook her head of the recent memory, especially when Twilight started staring at her suspiciously. "S-so, what did you want to talk about, Twi?" she asked.

"Well…" Twilight hesitated and, for a few tense moments, Applejack didn't know if she wanted Twilight to continue or just give up and walk away. Twilight eventually made up her mind, however. "Applejack, tell me honestly, do you…do you like Vanguard?"

"Of course I like him, Twi, he's a nice stallion and-!" The withering stare from Twilight halted Applejack in her tracks.

"You know what I mean." the unicorn said in a low tone.

Applejack looked away, fidgeted nervously and then simply let out a long exhale. Of course it would come down to this. Rarity had warned her already, but it still caught her unaware.

"Well?" Twilight asked impatiently.

It was Applejack's turn to fall silent and mull over her next response. There was no trying so sidle out of this conversation. Any more attempts would surely anger Twilight, but what was she supposed to say now? She had never prided herself in being able to figure out her friends. It was Rarity who was able to tell things about somepony from just a few signs. She had always been reliant on the assumption that if somepony had a problem, they'd say so honestly. These days however…

"No," Applejack mumbled. As soon as the answer left her mouth, she was already questioning why she had said that. Was her answer really no? Rarity didn't believe so back then. The doubts lingered and part of her wanted to take the answer back.

Instead of relaxing, Twilight only scrutinized the earth pony further. "Really?" she asked. "You're making that face again, Applejack."

It was then that Applejack realized that she was scrunching her lips together and glancing about. She pressed both front hooves against her face and rubbed. When she was sure that her face was blank, she faced Twilight again. "No," she said flatly. More protest welled up inside her, but she was more resolute now.

_"And so is she!"_

Rarity's words echoed inside Applejack's mind. Dense as she knew she was, even she could now tell that Twilight felt strongly about Vanguard. The unicorn's intensity made it all too clear as to how invested she was on the answer. Rarity was right, their harmony was in danger and she had to do something. Twilight seemed to hesitate when she repeated her answer. Instead of subsiding, however, the doubt and protest continued to build until she could feel a physical ache in her chest.

"Well…okay," Twilight said. She didn't look completely convinced, but she backed off. She continued to watch Applejack curiously, however.

"Is there something else, Twi?" Applejack asked. She tried to sound emotionless, but her voice came out strained from all her internal effort. "I sort have somewhere to go."

It was Twilight's turn to look surprised. "No," she said after recovering. "I'll see you later, Applejack." The purple unicorn walked off, a little dazed, as Applejack noticed.

With Twilight gone, Applejack pushed everything that had just happened away before a wave of difficult emotions hit her. She was going to meet with one of the royalty. She didn't want to do so looking as if she was about to break down any minute.

Another hour passed with Applejack just waiting outside the audience hall. Eventually one royal guard approached her. "Your audience has been granted, Legionnaire Applejack," he said. "Prince Terrato is waiting inside."

Applejack let out a sigh. Of the three royal ponies who could have met her, it had to be Prince Terrato. She still remembered the last time she had an audience with him. Prince Terrato enjoyed making ponies squirm.

The doors to the audience hall opened, revealing the magnificent sight of the three thrones. Applejack's jaw dropped. This wasn't the audience hall she remembered. A throne of white marble trimmed with gold dominated the central portion of the halls far end, behind the white throne hung a great banner that bore the symbol of the sun. To its left was another throne, this one of obsidian and trimmed with silver. The banner behind the black throne bore a crescent moon. Opposite the black throne was a third one, this one was a plain throne of polished granite with a gray circle on its banner. Stairs led from the thrones and joined together at the center of the hall.

"Somepony's admiring my hoof-work I see," a familiar, booming voice resounded within the audience hall.

Applejack quickly focused her attention towards the gray throne and watched as Prince Terrato descended the stairs and walked towards her. She quickly went down on her knees and bowed her head respectfully. "Thank you for taking time to see me, your highness," she said.

"Of course I have time to see my favorite almost-dead messenger," Terrato replied. As he approached, Applejack couldn't help but wrinkle her nose a bit. A slightly fishy smell seemed to emanate from the mighty alicorn. "Do you have another one, Applejack? Does mother want me to kick Luna in the face this time?"

"Um…no your highness," Applejack replied. "I haven't almost died again. It does have something to do with the Queen."

Terrato raised an eyebrow and stayed silent, prompting Applejack to begin explaining. At the end of her story, he walked even closer and examined her. "So you want to know more about this special gift that my mother gave you, hm?" he asked. "Well, The Queen is more of the sort who unlocks the gifts you already have instead of adding things. The most likely scenario is that she provided you a means to tap into your Element of Harmony's more individualized power. If I looked hard enough, I think I can sense it within you and see how you can bring that out. Is that what you want, Applejack?"

Applejack nodded in response. Immediately, she felt the alicorn's magic envelop her. A few minutes passed until Terrato "let go". She waited anxiously while the gray alicorn simply frowned and stared at her.

"You sure you actually created this shield you said you did?" Terrato finally asked. " I've thoroughly checked and I don't see any particularly strong power coming from the Element of Honesty. In fact, I'm barely sensing the Element of Honesty at all."

Confusion spread across Applejack's face. Terrato's words hit her hard. The alicorn may as well have uprooted a tree and smashed her face with it. She could only lower her head further at the result. "I-I'm sorry for wasting your time, your highness," she said.

"You didn't," Terrato replied. "Don't think you're failing yet, Applejack. I have a particular fondness for Honesty and Loyalty. Among the Elements of Harmony, their brightness become truly glorious when put to the test." He eyed her carefully. "Confront whatever's bothering you and we'll see just what my mother expected of you."

Applejack remained kneeling for some time. She had no reply to that.

* * *

><p>Vanguard Clash strode swiftly through Canterlot's jail. Around him, royal guards and visitors alike moved out of his way after one look at his grim expression and his bulky armor. Whatever pleasant mood he was in upon Applejack's quick agreement to join had evaporated when he received word of what his other squad member had been up to. He had expected Scarlet Rabbit to be excited by all the new experiences upon reaching the Heartland. The red pegasus had nearly talked his ear off about solid clouds, low altitude clouds, and liquid rainbows. All of that was fine. Getting jailed for causing the largest drunken brawl in Canterlot as of date was not. What was worse was that he had dragged Rainbow Dash into the mess as well.<p>

"I'm here for Scarlet Rabbit and Rainbow Dash," Vanguard told one of the stationed guards. The royal guards nodded and escorted him through the cells. The Canterlot Jail used to be a small, barely-used building before the Legion arrived. Now, a lot of its cells held ponies who couldn't handle their new boozing habit, legionnaires who couldn't maintain discipline and, most disturbingly, ponies who disrupted or avoided the draft. He came to the end of one hallway and looked right into one cell. Due to so many new cases, Canterlot Jail was overcrowded and constructions were already underway for additional space. Along with several other ponies was a red pegasus stallion and a rainbow-maned pegasus mare. Both of them were lying on the floor, trying to sleep off a hangover. "Scarlet," he said.

The red pegasus got up from and looked at Vanguard, who gestured for him to come over. He obliged and put is face near the bars. "Captain!" he said. "I thought you'd never come!"

Vanguard sniffed once before his forelegs shot out, grabbing the red pegasus by the head and then slamming it against the bars. "Who are you and why are you pretending to be Scarlet Rabbit?" he growled.

"W-what are you talking about?" the red pegasus asked. He found it difficult to speak with his lips mashed against the bars. "It's me!"

Vanguard slammed "Scarlet's" head a few more times until the red pegasus's nose started bleeding. "Where are they?" he asked. "Scarlet" merely smiled and started chuckling. Vanguard tossed him aside and then turned towards one of the royal guards. "Send word to both Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor and Pegasus Guard Captain Bright Shield. Legionnaires Scarlet Rabbit and Rainbow Dash are currently missing and must be found at once." His tone was so urgent that, even though he had no authority over royal guards, they saluted and ran off to do as he said. He glanced back at the impostors. Their deception discovered, they didn't bother maintaining their disguising enchantments. He considered questioning them, but it was unlikely that they knew anything at all…

* * *

><p>Half an hour passed after Vanguard's visit to Canterlot Jail and he was now looking at his new squad and then some. It was late in the night, but both Twilight and Applejack were awake and alert when they heard that some of their friends were missing. He glanced over at his new vice-captain. The earth pony was clearly…distracted about something. He was going to have to talk to her about it later.<p>

"Vanguard what's going on?" Twilight asked worriedly. "What happened to Rainbow and Pinkie?"

" I've got preliminary reports already," Vanguard replied. "Pinkie Pie has been spotted in Ponyville and is staying in Sugar Cube Corner. I asked Nightcanter and her squad to head over there to pick her up already. As for Rainbow…" Vanguard paused. He could only assume that Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit had been abducted. Almost as soon as he sent word out, conflicting reports reached him. Apparently, in addition to causing a massive bar room brawl, Scarlet and Rainbow were also seen talking about flying off to Cloudsdale, making their way back to the Barrier Lands, flying off to Ponyville, robbing a local bank and all sorts of incidents. "Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit are currently missing," he said.

Both mares gasped.

"Do we have any leads?" Twilight asked.

"That's the problem," Vanguard replied. "We have too many leads. Whoever has taken them has scattered about a hundred decoys to cover their trail."

Applejack stomped a hoof against the floor. "In the meantime, who knows what they're doing to Rainbow!" she said angrily.

"This is Black Rose's work," Twilight added.

"There's no doubting that," Vanguard said. "Both of you get ready; this will be our first mission together."


	27. A Great Enough Need

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 27: A Great Enough Need**

"I'm telling you, that cellar you have over there is disrupting this entire farm's ley network. Especially the ones that affect fortune," Copper Mane insisted. "So long as it's there, your farm will always suffer from a shortage of money, even if you have a monopoly over high demand products."

"And I'm telling you that we here at Sweet Apple Acres are doing just fine without your "ley watchamahooey"!" the yellow earth pony filly replied. She looked over to her companion, a large, red earth pony stallion who stared at Copper Mane with a mild hostility. "Ain't I right, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup," the stallion replied.

Copper Mane shook his head and turned away. He had come to Ponyville with high expectations when he heard that it was an earth pony settlement, but, upon arriving, the dismay nearly made him want to leave at once. It was true that there were plenty of earth ponies in the village and he was heartened to know that its leader was one. However, there was also a sizable population of goats and birds in the place.

_"It's a dangerous journey you're undertaking, Copper Mane. The earth ponies of the Heartland do not have access to Rock Maven's teachings. Be wary during your travels there. It is likely that our kin are still slaves to goats and birds."_

Elder Scatter Scree's warning seemed more and more apt as Copper Mane explored Ponyville. These earth ponies were not wearing chains, but all the trappings of slavery were there. Earth ponies pulled the wagons and carriages, worked the farms, and did all the manual labor while the goats and birds made themselves comfortable. This was a massive problem that he was attempting to attack and he really had no idea where to begin.

_"You are young, Copper Mane, young and arrogant. You will soon learn that there is no helping the earth ponies who refuse to follow our ways."_

Copper Mane scoffed at the idea. The elders insisted on remaining completely isolated despite the great changes occurring throughout Equestria. Celestia's barrier had come down, opening a clear path to the Heartland and its inhabitants. He had argued before the elders that it was the time to make pilgrimages to the Heartland. The chosen had had no access to Rock Maven's teachings for hundreds of years. The True Earth Ponies should go out of their way to bring the chosen earth ponies into the fold. For his troubles, Copper Mane received nothing other than scornful reproaches. That didn't hold him back, however. He went on his own pilgrimage. If he returned to the Great Delve with a group of earth pony converts, he'd prove that he was right and more pilgrimages would follow in his wake.

As a start, Copper Mane chose a small earth pony settlement instead of one of the cities. Ponyville was a strange sight to him. It sat on acres of arable land. It certainly had farms but, somehow, it didn't seem like a farming community at all. When he passed by the center of town, there seemed to be a lot of idle earth ponies, birds and goats. He surmised that this place likely started as a farming community and then later lost its identity when the birds and goats settled. He had gone to one of the farms in hopes of using his knowledge of ley lines to help improve its lot but, so far, he met no success. He made his way back towards the center of the village to see what else he could do.

"Let go! I still have to see my family's rock farm!"

"And I've told you that we'll take care of it! You've caused enough problems as it is, Pinkie Pie!"

Copper Mane turned towards the sound of the high-pitched shouting and found a pink earth pony mare being lifted by magic. Several other ponies stood around and watched. He recognized the Legion's barding on some of them while the others, mostly earth ponies, looked like ordinary villagers. "Let go of that earth pony, goat!" he shouted. Seeing the inaction of his kin towards such obvious oppression inflamed him within. He pulled out his channeling tablet and pointed it at the floating pink pony, focusing his mind on harnessing the power of the earth itself.

The telekinetic hold around the pink pony broke at his sudden attack. Before anypony could react, he had placed himself between the pink pony and the legionnaires, one of which was a dark blue goat who was maintaining the telekinesis. She shook her head in surprise at his interference, a few of her mane's ringlets falling across her face. She studied him for a while and seemed to recognize his clothes. "This is Legion business, true earth pony," she said sternly. "Back away and keep your weird magic to yourself!"

The pink pony, instead of running away as Copper Mane had expected, stood behind him. "That stone!" she said. "I got one just like it! Are you one of those 'True Earth Ponies'?" He looked behind him incredulously. A stone just like his tablet? Why would a Heartland earth pony possess a channeling tablet?

Before Copper Mane could even say anything, however, he suddenly became aware of what a horrible mistake it was to take his attention away from the goat that was oppressing this pink pony to begin with. Something struck his face hard, sending him sprawling against the dirt.

"Oops," the dark blue goat said. "I meant for that to be a warning tap. You really shouldn't ignore me right after attacking my spell." Her voice lowered to a menacing hiss as she walked closer towards Copper Mane. "I have bad reactions to being ignored."

Copper Mane shook his head, trying desperately to clear it before the goat attacked again. "You don't scare me, goat," he said defiantly. "I will die before I watch your kind oppress earth ponies and not do anything!"

The goat raised an eyebrow. "Oppress?" she asked. "I wasn't oppressing anypony! Celestia drill my backside, you true earth ponies are so twitchy that you'd cry oppression if somepony reached out to hug you!" She moved past Copper Mane and went over to Pinkie Pie. "Get to the Night Skimmer, Pinkie Pie."

The earth pony behind Copper Mane, "Pinkie Pie" as she was called, took another step back. She looked pleadingly at the goat, who was having none of it. "But my family!" she said.

"And what do you plan on doing once you make it there?" the goat asked in exasperation. "Take on Sablesteel in single combat and win? You think they're in danger? You're putting the Elements of Harmony in danger right now by being far away from them!"

"I…I…!" Pinkie Pie tried desperately to remain defiant but her lips quivered. "I can't just do nothing, Nightcanter!"

By the time Copper Mane recovered, he was already surrounded by legionnaires. He tried to take another step towards the goat, but several hooves held him in place.

"You won't be 'doing nothing'," Nightcanter said, her tone taking a more comforting pitch. "Leave it to us. We'll get your family, the Cakes, and whoever else you think is in danger of being assassinated. We'll send them to Canterlot or wherever you think is the safest."

Pinkie Pie still looked deflated, but she nodded slightly and then walked towards Nightcanter who began to walk somewhere. Nightcanter paused for a moment and then glanced at Copper Mane before motioning for the other legionnaires. "Oh, and arrest that idiot will you? Interfering with Legion business and all that."

The legionnaires shoved Copper Mane roughly. The bird among them pulled out a crossbow and aimed it at him.

"Wait! I want to talk to that pony!" Pinkie Pie told Nightcanter. The dark blue goat let out a sigh. "Fine, toss him inside the Night Skimmer. Confiscate that tablet though."

The other legionnaires saluted and led both Copper Mane and Pinkie Pie away.

* * *

><p>Despite Captain Nightcanter's reassurances that her family and friends would be protected, Pinkie Pie found it impossible to sit still inside the Night Skimmer. She had barely slept a wink since last night, despite her fatigue. Every time she closed her eyes for too long, the image of Sablesteel's wasp-like form standing over those twitching, half-melted corpses jolted her awake. She paced around the hold where Nightcanter's Squad had tossed in the true earth pony who had tried to "save" her earlier. His forelegs were bound with rope and his stone tablet had been taken away. When Pinkie had asked to be allowed to talk to him during the trip, Nightcanter had agreed reluctantly before going off to her family's rock farm.<p>

_"There's no doubt in my mind that you're an idiot, Pinkie Pie, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt as to whether you're a suicidal idiot. You watch yourself around that true earth pony."_

The hold's stifling heat and cramped space suited her current mood at the moment. Though the Cakes were secure above decks, she felt as if all her worrying was smothering her. Sablesteel could be anywhere, doing all sorts of evil things while she was stuck here unable to do anything while other ponies set out to protect her family and friends. It was the same thing that had been happening to her ever since she followed Twilight into the Barrier Lands. While she watched from the sidelines, all her friends did their part to protect what was important. She recalled everything that went down when Nightcanter first burst into Sugarcube Corner looking for her.

_"Do you have any idea as to the sort of trouble you've stirred up, Pinkie Pie? Special Operations has enough on its plate without having to track you down every time you get it into your empty pink head to run off somewhere!"_

_"But Sablesteel said that she was going to kill the ponies who are precious to me!"_

_"I'm hurt that you're not worried about me then," Nightcanter said flatly. "Time to get back to Canterlot."_

_"No!"_

_"I wasn't asking!" Nightcanter's horn glowed and Pinkie quickly found her forelegs pressed against her sides in a tight, telekinetic grip. She rose several feet in the air and remained suspended there. Nightcanter walked closer, her face dead serious. "Maybe you haven't noticed, Pinkie Pie, so let me clear things up for you. You're not Pinkie Pie the rock farmer's daughter or Pinkie Pie the baker's assistant anymore. You're Legionnaire Pinkie Pie, Bearer of the Element of Joy. You are expected to be there when called upon, ready to be at Equestria's disposal when the time comes. You mess around like this and you'll be lucky if the only casualties are a couple of families." Without another word, Nightcanter and her squad began to leave the bakery with Pinkie floating helplessly after them._

_"Wait," Carrot Cake protested. "There's no need to be so rough! Pinkie Pie came back here because she was worried about us!"_

_"Good that you're so concerned about her because you're coming with us," Nightcanter replied. "Pack your essentials and let's go, all of you."_

_Both Cakes's jaws dropped. "What?" Cup Cake exclaimed. "We can't just close on the spot! And how long are we supposed to stay in Canterlot?"_

_"Until we can make sure you're not being targeted." Nightcanter looked back to Pinkie. "So who else should we uproot from their lives and send to Canterlot?" she asked._

_Pinkie's lower lip stuck out as she glared at Nightcanter. Tears threatened to burst out of her eyes. "You're a meanie," she said. "I thought you were nice when we went to the Everfree Forest together!"_

_"Why all the anger, Pinkie? Isn't that what you came here to do? You brought this on them, take some responsibility."_

Pinkie Pie pressed her lips together. Responsibility. There was that word again. She thought that responsibility meant being able to take care of the Cake twins and running the bakery while Carrot and Cup Cake had to be off somewhere. Responsibility never included ponies getting hurt and dying. She couldn't deal with this responsibility with what she had.

Not only that, Nightcanter was right. By sending her loved ones to Canterlot, she was going to uproot them. But she didn't want to uproot anypony. She just wanted them safe. She wished with all her heart that neither the Cakes nor her own family had to be involved in all of these things, that she could be cast a magic spell like Twilight Sparkle and keep them all safe without making their lives harder. Or she could cast a spell to make Sablesteel not want to hurt anypony. But she wasn't a unicorn or even a pegasus. She wasn't even a strong earth pony like Applejack. All she had was…

"Um…do you need something?" the true earth pony asked.

In the blink of an eye, Pinkie was right in front the true earth pony, grasping his head with her front hooves and shaking him. "You're one of those true earth ponies, right?" she asked. She showed him the tablet that had confounded her for several days already. "Can you tell me how to work this thing? I saw you use one! Can I do magic stuff with it? Something like those shields that Twilight makes? Please, please, please show me!"

The true earth pony tried to speak, but the constant shaking made it all but impossible. "Hold…on...ow!" He yelped in pain when his teeth clamped down on his tongue.

Pinkie Pie let go and back away slightly. "Sorry, true earth pony," she said. "Will you show me how to work that tablet now?"

The true earth pony steadied himself and then examined his tongue. "First of all, my name is Copper Mane, not 'true earth pony'. Second, how did you get a channeler's tablet? Are you a true earth pony? Has a sect of true earth ponies actually developed here in the Heartland?"

"I'm not a true earth pony!" Pinkie Pie replied. "Wait, I am an actual earth pony, but not a true earth pony like you. I mean I am an earth pony like you except not like you with the masks and the weird magic and the thinking unicorns are goats thing."

"Then how did you get this tablet?"

Pinkie Pie quickly narrated her encounter with the true earth ponies back in FangBreaker Fortress. The mention of a stone-faced mask caused Copper Mane's eyes to widen in recognition. "An elder," he said. "You said FangBreaker Fortress. That is all the way up the Northern Barrier Land. You must have met Elder Treefield. He answered the call for reinforcements to that place."

"Yeah, he was kinda creepy with that mask and he was always whispering to his friend instead of talking to me. Do your elders-?" Pinkie stopped and shook her head. "What am I doing? No time for random questions!" She took a step forward, making Copper Mane shrink back in fear. "Tell me to put up a shield or be able to tell if somepony's going to get attacked! You true earth ponies have that weird magic right? Elder Treefield said that I was some kind of channeler or something. Teach me!"

"I will if you promise not to shake all my teeth loose!" Copper Mane exclaimed. He threw his forelegs up in fright and kept them there until Pinkie Pie backed away. "I'm going to teach you because I respect Elder Treefield a lot for venturing forth unlike the other elders. He must have seen a great deal of talent in you, but apparently couldn't follow through with teachings. I warn you though, I'm still a student of ley channeling myself. All I can offer are the basics."

"Okay," Pinkie Pie said seriously. She sat down and held the tablet Treefield gave her. "Let's start with a basic shield then!"

Copper Mane looked at her disapprovingly. "Let's clear some things for you first, Pinkie Pie," he said. "For one thing, we're not goats."

"Duh! Of course we're not goats! We're ponies! Wait…you mean unicorns don't you? Why do you keep calling unicorns goats?"

Copper Mane frowned and tried to loosen his restraints. "Because 'unicorns' are a type of goat."

"No they're not. They're ponies!"

"They resemble earth ponies only in the same way lizards resemble dragons. Regardless, keep in mind that we are not like them. 'Magic' is what these goats do. They possess a personal store of power which they use to bend nature to their wills."

Pinkie Pie was listened quietly for a while, her brow furrowing in thought. "You think lizards are dragons?" she asked.

Copper Mane ground his teeth so hard that Pinkie could hear them. "Fine!" he said in exasperation. "For the sake of moving past this point, I'm going to call them 'unicorns'! Will that make you happy?"

Pinkie Pie nodded eagerly just to please this grouchy pony. She couldn't understand why he was so hung up with names, but she needed a way to protect her loved ones. Captain Nightcanter's earlier words had stung her badly because they were right. What was the point of getting to her loved ones if she had no way to stop Sablesteel?

Copper Mane cleared his throat. "As I was saying. Unlike go-unicorns, we earth ponies do not have this personal store of power. What we haven instead is a natural connection to the vast amount of power that flows through the earth through ley lines. Through this connection, we can direct the flow of energy to help us. This is why we do not 'use magic', we 'channel ley energy'. Magic is selfish and unnatural, channeling is harmonious and part of nature. Do you understand that?"

Pinkie Pie nodded again. She didn't really understand, but she was anxious to get to the part where she could defend her friends. She was beginning to think that these true earth ponies may not like unicorns as much as earth ponies so she guessed that it was important for Copper Mane to say that what he was doing wasn't magic, but something else.

"Alright then," Copper Mane continued. "Why don't we try some basic channeling? Hold the stone that Elder Treefield gave you."

Pinkie sat up straight and did as she was told. "Okay, what's next?" she asked.

"Concentrate on your connection to the earth."

"My what?"

"Your connection!" Copper Mane said impatiently. "Surely, you must have felt it at least once when you accidentally channeled! How else would Elder Treefield have known that you had the gift?"

"I dunno, he just came out of nowhere after I saved Sharpfangs from having a jar of salt land on his head."

Copper Mane looked at her suspiciously. "And how did you save this Sharpfangs from getting hit by a jar of salt?" he asked.

"Oh, that's easy" Pinkie said with a smile. "My Pinkie Sense warned me!"

"What in the hay is a Pink-"! Copper Mane stopped himself. "Never mind what you call it," he said. "Concentrate on it, try to will it to happen."

"But I can't just make it happen!" Pinkie Pie protested. "It just does when-!"

"Hush! Forget about what you think triggers it!" Copper Mane stared intensely at Pinkie, his eyes suddenly knowing. "You've had this 'Pinkie Sense' all your life, correct? For all that time you must have thought that it was just some random, amusing thing that happened to you and it happened to be useful. You've never found a need to find out more or develop it. It was some quirk and you were fine with it being that way. Now you need it to be more than a quirky, helpful thing. You need it to be effective against your problems and, most of all, you need it to be there on command when you want it, not when it wants to."

Pinkie Pie pouted and avoided looking at Copper Mane. The nearness of what he was saying to what really happened made her uncomfortable. It didn't help that it was only a few minutes ago that Nightcanter was telling her something similar. "Twilight tried to find out more about it," she said quietly.

"Hmph! Let me guess, this Twilight isn't even an earth pony is she?"

"She's a unicorn."

"How sure are you that she didn't find out anything then? She may have found out a lot of things and refused to tell you for fear of you surpassing her power!"

"That's not how Twilight is at all!" Pinkie protested. "You haven't even met her!"

"I don't need to meet her," Copper Mane said as he turned up his nose. "Goats are all alike. "

"You're doing it again! Unicorns aren't goats!"

"We'll get nowhere with that. Go back to willing your power to come forth. Concentrate!"

Pinkie held the tablet and stared at it hard. She stared until the muscles in her face ached from the constant frowning and drops of sweat dripped down her chin. Nothing happened. "Nothing's happening," she said at last.

"That's because you weren't concentrating," Copper Mane retorted. "You were just staring at the tablet and trying to frown your eyebrows off. Try to recall the last time you used your power: the sensations, the state of your mind…try to will them forth."

Pinkie's mind was about to go back to the salt jar incident when she suddenly remembered that something more recent had happened. There was that time inside Clover the Clever's home. The tablet had activated and she was seeing these strange colors. What had she been feeling back then? There was a deep curiosity for what was going on and this heightened awareness of all those beautiful colors. There was…

"There!" Copper Mane said.

Pinkie looked down and saw that the gems embedded onto the stone tablet were indeed glowing. As soon as she looked down, however, the light faded and the gems became inert once more.

"Don't stop!" Copper Mane said excitedly. "Keep doing what you were doing a while ago!"

Pinkie tried again, harder this time. The floor beneath them suddenly lurched. "Did I do that?" she asked.

Copper Mane looked around him. "Perhaps," he said. "Or this vessel is moving." He hopped over a nearby porthole and saw that the ground was rapidly becoming farther. He swallowed nervously, beads of sweat already forming by his forehead. "We're flying," he said. "Nopony said anything about flying!"

"Duh!" Pinkie Pie said. "We're in an airship. Relax! Tell me what to do next!"

"This is unnatural!" Copper Mane said. He huddled by one corner of the hold. "Birds fly, not earth ponies!"

It was Pinkie's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Are you scared of flying?" she asked.

"S-scared? No! I'm indignant! This is no way to transport a true earth pony!"

Pinkie shrugged her shoulders and went back to concentrating on the tablet.

"It's useless now," Copper Mane said. Pinkie glanced at him briefly and saw that his eyes watered a bit. He looked a little green around the edges as well. He was obviously trying to compose himself and was failing for the most part. "If we're flying, we're far away from the ground. You can't channel here."

The words of discouragement threatened to smother the sliver of hope that Pinkie had been nurturing. With a defiant shake of her head, she concentrated even harder. She was starting to get what Copper Mane was talking about. It was like…it was like moving a limb she never knew existed, like a fifth leg or an extra head. She was getting somewhere now and she didn't want Copper Mane's pessimism to ruin things.

Then, as if answering her stubborn optimism, the entire hold began to glow softly. Faint rainbow colors, just like the ones she saw back inside Clover the Clever's refuge, lingered around the wooden walls of the airship's hold. Unlike the previous time she saw them, the colors didn't flow like water and seemed barely there. "I did it…" she whispered. She looked at Copper Mane, unable to keep her face straight as excitement flooded her. "I did it!" she cried out. The gems on her tablet shone brightly.

In return, Copper Mane stared at her with his mouth hanging open. "That's impossible," he said. "Miles from the earth, what could you possibly be channeling?" He dragged himself forward and then looked down when his forelegs struck the wooden floor. "Of course," he said. "Ley energy flows into trees and small quantities are retained in the wood…" He looked around. "Probably in the metal too. But I've never heard of being able to channel with such minute quantities." He looked at Pinkie, his eyes narrowing. "Try to do something with the ley energy," he suggested.

"Do something?" Pinkie asked. She was put at a loss so suddenly that the gems on her tablet began to wane. With a gasp, she concentrated again for an entire minute before daring to say anything else. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Look down," Copper Mane said.

On instinct, Pinkie did as she was asked. The wooden floor swirled with faint colors as if she was standing on a very shallow pool. Suddenly, the colors directly below her face seemed to ripple, gently at first and then more violently as it went on. Her tail began to twitch and, on impulse, she moved her head slightly to the side before staring at it. It seemed that some of the ripples somehow climbed up her leg and was flowing through her tail.

Copper Mane's drinking glass struck the floor where the rippling was and shattered.

Pinkie's eyes widened. "What was that for?" she asked Copper Mane indignantly.

"Well, you can now replicate what you did before," Copper Mane said.

"I can do that without the fancy swirling colors!"

" You've barely scratched the surface of what you can do,"

Pinkie Pie grabbed Copper Mane's head with both hooves again. "Then help me scratch the surface!"

"No shaking!" Copper Mane exclaimed. He put his forelegs up before she could even begin. "I'll help you. It's my responsibility to make sure a channeler with so much potential will grow in the true earth pony way."

"Wait," Pinkie said with a tilt of her head. "Does that mean we're friends now?"

Copper Mane looked at her suspiciously, his lips seemingly halfway to "yes" when he stopped himself to think. "You are friends with creatures that I do not wish to be friends with, Pinkie Pie," he finally said. "But I think I can be your friend." He put an emphasis on "your".

Pinkie Pie answered with a smile. "Well, it's a start!" she said cheerily. The cheer quickly melted into fresh worry, however. "Oh no…that means Sablesteel will try to kill you now as well…"

Copper Mane stared at her in alarm. Before either pony could say anything, however, they heard a pony call out from above decks. "Canterlot in sight!" one of Nightcanter's squad members shouted.

Pinkie dashed towards a nearby porthole and poked her head out. The white spires of Canterlot were indeed already by the horizon. She let the breeze blow her mane about, reveling in the wave of coolness that blew away the stagnant heat of the hold.


	28. The Younger Sibling

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 28: The Younger Sibling**

_With a quick turn and just a bit more bounce in her gait, Celestia rounded the little circle of pink flowers. On her back, her little brother squealed with delight and held on tightly to her neck and mane._

_"Take care now, your highness!" her guardian, Animus Arcem, called out to her from a distance._

_The great city of Empyrea housed many gardens, each one a veritable forest on its own. It was the flowers that constantly drew Celestia to them. The riotous explosion of colors and the storm of fragrances, both of which were contrasted by the carefully ordered buildings and streets of the city, always enchanted her. "Oh, relax, Arcem," she said with a giggle. "I'm not going to drop my little brother!" She turned to look at Terrato. "Isn't that right, Terry?" The little gray foal would have replied with something if he didn't have a hank of his sister's pink mane in his mouth._

_A cold breeze suddenly blew through the garden, halting Celestia in her tracks. For a moment, even the warmth of Empyrea itself receded, leaving her shivering and puzzled. She looked around to see what was going on and quickly realized that she wasn't the only pony who had noticed. Animus Arcem ran towards her, his face marred with concern._

_The moment passed and Celestia put the strange sensation out of her mind. "Your highness!" Animus Arcem said once he was close enough. "I think we should return to the palace now."_

_Celestia barely heard her guardian, however. She looked past him and noticed the lone alicorn walking the street just outside the garden. He was coming from the direction of the palace. There was no mistaking her older brother, Oceanus. His mane was a wave of myriad shades of blue, constantly ebbing and flowing like the waters of the seven rivers. His coat was a silver that gleamed brighter than the spires of Empyrea itself and his eyes were of a blue so dark and deep that it seemed as if light itself failed to illuminate their depths. He walked down the street with his usual formal gait, graceful and controlled all at once. Right now, however, he stepped with just a bit more force than he normally did._

_"Big brother!" Celestia called out. Before Animus could stop her, she lifted Terrato with her magic and handed him over to her guardian before running towards Oceanus. It was likely that her elder sibling had just come from the palace after meeting with their parents. His day of ascension must be close! She checked her appearance as she ran, making sure that there were no leaves or petals on her and that her mane was neatly arranged and clean of her little brother's spit._

_There was no warm smile from Oceanus when his eyes focused on her, but Celestia already expected that. Her older brother was the most formal, most regal pony in the entire Eternal Herd, a match even for their father and mother. That didn't stop her from trotting happily just in front of him as he walked. She knew that, past that serious mien, he must be beaming inside. His long strides made it difficult for her to catch up with her short legs, but she made up for her lack of height with enthusiasm. "Did you just finish speaking to father?" she asked excitedly. "You must be ascending soon! When's the coronation?"_

_"Get out of my way, Celestia."_

_"What?" Before Celestia could even think about her brother's words, his magic enveloped her, lifting her off her hooves and dangling her right before his face. His magic felt like a sheaf of frost wrapped all around her. She whimpered, tears immediately springing from her eyes._

_"I said out of my way," Oceanus said. His voice was colder than ice and harder than stone. He flung her to the side, sending her tumbling against the pavement. She cried out when her shoulder slammed hard against the stone._

_Animus Arcem was next to Celestia in an instant. He helped her to her hooves and then glared at the passing prince. "You go too far, Prince Oceanus!" he said angrily. "What has your sister done to be treated like this?" Terrato, curious about what was going on, started climbing down Animus._

_Oceanus didn't even look back. Celestia galloped towards him again. There was no mistaking it. She must have done something horrible to offend him. She was ready to kneel down and beg for forgiveness once she caught up to him. "Your highness, no!" Animus called after her. She heard him cast a spell and turned her head briefly to glance behind her._

_When Celestia looked ahead again, Oceanus's sword, a slender, translucent blade of dark blue, was already swinging towards her face. There was no time to try to duck, she closed her eyes and the blade bit into her face, just above her right eye._

_Pain, pain that Celestia had never felt or even imagined before, surged into the cut and burst into her mind like a violent flood. She flew backwards, tumbled against the unfeeling stone of Empyrea and then right into Animus Arcem's hooves. She pressed a hoof against her right eye and trembled as she felt something wet and sticky trickle down her face. With her left eye she saw that Oceanus had stopped to glare at her. His lips moved, but she could hardly hear the words because of the ringing in her ears. She saw the movement, however, and read the words. "What makes you so much better?"_

_"Oceanus!" Animus Arcem charged at the prince, his horn crackling with magical energy. Another second passed and he was careening towards the opposite direction. Oceanus walked on. Celestia wanted to chase after him and ask what she had done wrong. Why did he have to hurt her? More alicorns were arriving in the area as Oceanus disappeared from sight. She heard a soft tapping to her side and looked to find Terrato crawling nearby._

_A trickle of tears had escaped from Celestia's right eye and then mingled with the blood. The mixture continued to trickle down and then dropped against the floor. Terrato, still puzzled by everything that had just happened, crawled over to inspect the drop with his hooves. The little grey foal tapped against the blood and tears and got them on a hoof. His eyes wide, he brought the hoof against his mouth and gave it a lick._

Celestia opened her eyes with a start and found herself back in her room in the Royal Palace. After sitting up, she put a hoof to her face and found it still a little moist. She had been crying in her sleep apparently. Her hoof also traced the very thin scar that cut across her right eyebrow. It was difficult to notice, even if somepony was actually looking for it and if it wasn't covered by her mane all the time. However, with so many traces of Oceanus being uncovered recently, she had been more and more conscious of it.

_"What makes you so much better?"_

The questioned continued to linger within Celestia's mind. Oceanus had not ascended the throne that day. Their father refused to give his eldest the throne even if it meant delaying the cycle. Though neither he nor their mother made any announcement, many within the Eternal Herd assumed that it was Celestia who would ascend to the throne. The cycle must continue. After ruling for so long, Sanctus Dominus and Divina Gratia must step down, allow themselves to be diminished, and rejoin the herd while others took to the throne. That was the way of the Eternal Herd. If it wasn't Oceanus, once so promising and majestic, it had to be somepony else.

"_What makes you so much better?"_

She questioned her father's decision so long ago, when she was a hurt little filly clutching at her wounded face. She questioned it now as a princess who had gone against her father's wishes. She had thought that she was doing the right thing only to make so many bad choices and face their consequences.

A knock on her door brought Celestia out of her moody reverie. She made sure that her eyes were dry before the second knock.

"Celestia?" It was a concerned Terrato who spoke through the door. "Are you alright? I heard you cry out."

"I'm fine," Celestia replied. She didn't recall crying out. She had probably done so while she was asleep. Terrato had heard it somehow. That didn't surprise her this time. Just what part of Canterlot didn't her brother have eyes and ears in?

The door opened and Terrato looked into the room. "You missed breakfast," he said. "Luna asked me to see if you're alright so…are you sure you're alright? You slept in rather late this time."

"Last night was rather taxing," Celestia answered. "I'm surprised Luna is already up and about."

"So am I," Terrato said. "Our little sister's been quite busy lately and she says she can't afford to take too much time recovering." His eyes narrowed. "She's been a little too busy if you ask me."

The sudden shadow across her younger brother's face was enough to tell Celestia what he really meant by that. Though he officially shared authority over the Legion with his sisters, it was hardly a secret to Celestia that her brother had agents out there who answered only to him. She stood up and looked at him. Terrato was careful not to take so much as a single step into her room. Whatever concern he let his voice show, he now masked with his face. He had been noticeably distant these past few days and his actions have been more subtle. There were no grand announcements and no masses of troops marching across Equestria. The draft and training went on, but it did so quietly. Yet, Terrato was moving. Squads of Special Operations ponies were all over the Heartland, always watching and reporting to him. For all his rumble and roar, when Terrato wished to be silent, he was.

It was one of his less understandable moves that now urged Celestia to speak up. Cadance's report had disturbed her and Terrato had been tight-lipped about the whole affair. "Terrato," she said. "Tell me your plans with the Draco'dim. Why did you bring them to the Heartland?"

"Maybe you should get something to eat first, Celestia. A meal and a bath would help you through the day before we get to those matters."

"I'm not a foal that needs your constant nursing, Terrato. Tell me now and, maybe, I can enjoy my meal and bath with my mind at ease."

"Fine," Terrato replied. He stood there so stiffly that Celestia felt uncomfortable just looking at him. It dawned upon her that she didn't like seeing him so stone-faced and distant. Fierce and impatient Terrato, always looking for a fight and boisterous with his affections towards his sisters may fill her with concern, but this quiet, defensive Terrato left her with a cold feeling within.

"You don't need to stand on ceremony," Celestia said. Come inside and sit down. I'm not taking you away from pressing matters am I?"

"No." Terrato sat on the floor, still a good distance from Celestia. A few more seconds passed before he spoke again. "The Draco'dim are necessary to keep the Heartland's dragons in line," he said.

"In line by killing them in numbers?"

"Their methods are brutal, their members are arrogant, and their long-term goals are highly suspect. They enforce two rules, however, which remain useful: no eating ponies and no invading their settlements. I would bring them in even if they had no intention of coming to the Heartland just to avoid diverting resources to control these newly un-enchanted dragons. That's not even the case. The Draco'dim have agents of their own and they would have found out about the situation with the Heartland's dragons anyway. All I did was exploit Afralhadar's sense of "honor" to gain some benefits for the Legion."

"You're said it yourself, Terrato," Celestia replied. "These are pride dragons. They won't stop with 'keeping dragons in line'."

"I know," Terrato said.

Celestia waited for her brother to say something else: a reassurance from him that the Draco'dim will ultimately not prevail in their tyranny, an apologetic acknowledgement of the whole dragon issue. Instead, she felt as if she was watching a fortress lock down. "And where does Spike fit in all this?" she asked. Luna had already told her about Spike's journey to the Western Barrier Land.

"What are you talking about?"

"Before the division, Drellhadar and Reinfadora entrusted one of their eggs to me, one that was enchanted by temporal stasis. Spike hatched from that egg."

"Really? Small world. Who broke the temporal stasis?"

Celestia frowned at the very obvious lies and misdirection. "Twilight Sparkle," she replied. The whole thing was one giant accident. Several of the directors who were examining Twilight despised her father and didn't want her enrolled. They were able to pull enough strings to gain access to the egg. They then proceeded to 'test' Twilight with a task even full-fledged graduates from the academy would have found impossible. Twilight managed to somehow. Just in time to impress Celestia as she was on her way to the academy to reacquire the egg.

"Twilight Sparkle," Terrato said flatly. "Of course."

"I don't think it's a stretch to assume you found out about all of these things during your first visit to Canterlot," Celestia went on. "What are you planning for the sole surviving son of the Dragon Scourge?"

"I just want him to grow stronger and help out his friends," Terrato said.

"Terrato…"

Terrato let out a sigh. "Yes, Spike will have a role to play, just like all of his friends," he said. "I won't say more than that." He looked at her, his stony expression cracking slightly. "I don't like this. He's hardly more than a hatchling. However, the defense of the realm must come first." Terrato stood up and looked to the door. "Do you need anything else from me?" he asked.

"No," Celestia said. She thought of looking into the matter more deeply. Luna had mentioned that she had eyes in the Barrier Lands already, but Celestia doubted whether they would be able to gain any information that Terrato didn't decide to feed them anyway. This was his game and he has had hundreds of years worth of practice. Luna meant well and she led well ,but there was a great gulf between the two when it came to experience. Besides, there had to be a better way than the three of them trying to outmaneuver one another. Terrato would speak eventually. If he could just trust his sisters more, there wouldn't be any need for this. Celestia had thought about it and realized that this was something she had to work on. She walked towards her brother slowly and reached out to place a hoof on his shoulder. Part of her face, just above her right eye, tingled and ached. She didn't let this make her back down this time. It was Terrato who flinched. For a moment, he looked ready to pull back as if she was trying to stab him with a weapon. He forced himself to settle down and her hoof touched his shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Terrato," she said. "Luna isn't the only one I'm worried about being overexerted."

The gesture had caught him off guard. His lips twisted slightly, but he didn't say anything else. With a brief nod, he turned around and left.

* * *

><p>It was only after he was a good distance from his eldest sister's room did Terrato let himself relax a little. He was only too glad to get back to work. He had pressing concerns coming in from Special Operations. The one that stood out the most was the disappearance of Rainbow Dash and Black Rose's involvement in it. Special Operations was already out in force.<p>

As he neared his destination, he actually welcomed the transition from the white and gold halls of the Royal Palace to gray stone of its barely maintained dungeon. Canterlot had a small jail for most of its very rare criminals. The dungeon was supposed to be for more dangerous political prisoners. Supposed to be anyway. When Barrier Lands ponies arrived to inspect it, the dungeons housed nothing other than rats and spiders.

After a few minutes of walking, Terrato was joined by a legionnaire, Captain Bladescrape of Special Operations' Ninth Squad.

"The prisoner transfer has been completed successfully, your highness," Bladescrape said after a brief bow.

"Good," Terrato replied. "Did he cause any trouble?"

"He showed a great deal of cooperation. We were suspicious, of course, but we didn't encounter any actual difficulties."

"So his sister hasn't bothered to fetch or silence him," Terrato mused out loud. "That narrows it down to him not being a threat, being full of misinformation, or us actually doing a good job." He looked towards Bladescrape. "Has he said anything else?"

"A lot actually, your highness," Bladescrape said. "He's provided us with information on how to identify Black Rose's agents, but he's cautioned us that she has probably changed many of her usual methods now that she knows he's turned on her."

"And how has his information been so far?"

"Surprisingly effective nonetheless, your highness. We've confirmed several agents already." A shadow fell across Bladescrape's face. "Black Rose has a frighteningly large information network."

"Of course she does." Terrato didn't bother hiding his smile of admiration. The two of them stopped in front of Blue Moon's cell.

Black Rose's younger brother was both manacled and shackled to the three walls of his cell. He was still horn-locked and six guards stood by his cell at all times. Upon Terrato's arrival, Blue Moon did as best he could to kneel down. The other guards swiftly bowed their greeting.

Terrato studied the unicorn for a while. Blue Moon's rise within the Legion would have been a legend all on its own. Except that he spent most of his career under his sister's shadow. Among certain legionnaires, he was known as "Legionnaire Almost" in comparison to his sister: almost as powerful, almost as smart, and almost as pretty. Terrato had carefully watched the unicorn back then. He was concerned that Blue Moon was resentful of Black Rose's acclaim and that he would try to sabotage her. He never did. On the contrary, he worked closely with his sister, supporting her every endeavor and going so far as to lead her special squad.

" I've been hearing about how helpful you've been, Blue Moon," Terrato said.

"I wish only to serve Equestria, your highness," Blue Moon replied.

"And that's what you'll continue to do."

Terrato paused as he continued to study the prisoner. Blue Moon's sincerity seemed genuine. Perhaps the unicorn stallion really did go against his older sister because she had gone too far and that his loyalty to Equestria had always been pure and unflinching.

Even considering that left Terrato feeling the bitter sting of shame inside. Unflinching loyalty. He had been so confident before that such a thing was one of his strengths. Recent events had left him full of doubt. Things were so much easier when "do as Celestia asks" served as his guiding principle. Reunification had left him examining his own ideas about Equestria and doubting the things he had done and planned on doing. Looking at the unicorn now, it was likely that Blue Moon had gone through something similar. He turned towards Bladescrape. "Let him out of there," he said.

"Your highness?" Bladescrape asked as he blinked in confusion.

"Keep him horn-locked and under guard, but I think Blue Moon deserves a little mobility and a change of scenery," Terrato added.

"I am honored by this show of trust," Blue Moon said.

In response, Terrato's horn flashed with magic. Most of the ponies in the room blinked and then looked around. Nothing seemed to have happened. Blue Moon kept his gaze on Terrato, however. The look on his face showed that he understood.

"As you should be," Terrato said. He was about to say more when, all of a sudden, he felt an all too familiar wave of magic gently caress his mind. Black Rose. Black Rose was trying to contact him. The brazen move left him astonished for a moment and then made him smile. Why was he even surprised? This was classic Black Rose. He saw the other ponies around him look at him with concern. "Keep on being useful, Blue Moon. I'm in constant need of agents these days and I'll be happy to take the ones Black Rose loses." With that, he cast another spell and teleported out of the palace.

High above Canterlot, Terrato looked around for a secure place and then considered having this meeting with his sisters. He dismissed the thought, however. Black Rose would simply cease trying to contact him if things weren't private. He flew on, distancing himself from the capital until it was a mere speck by the horizon. Only then did he cast the spell that would bring Black Rose's image before him.

"It is so nice to see you again, your highness," Black Rose said. In the magical image, she was reclining on a bed, her mane and tail carelessly spread all round her. His gaze lingered on her wings. The black feathers looked lovely. Black Rose wore power well and with ease.

As futile as it likely was, Terrato was already working on tracing the spell back to its source. "Black Rose," he said. He focused on the most pressing concern. "What have you done to Rainbow Dash?"

"So quick to the point. Indulge me a little and I'll tell you in all honesty."

Terrato used to find the little games amusing. That was when they were limited to just the two of them and didn't involve the lives of the Elements of Harmony. "Alright," he said.

Her usually playful gaze suddenly softened. "Tell me, beloved, if I returned Celestia's power and turned over my resources to the three of you, can we go back to how we used to be back then?"

"Yes," Terrato replied. He matched her tenderness with his own, making it sound like he was imploring her. "Come to Canterlot and restore my sister's power. You can take your place with me once more. You can lead the Legion as you used to and I'll defend you from anypony who insists on punishment."

The answer actually gave Black Rose pause. For a moment, her eyes widened in wonder. After that, her lips slowly curved into a smile. After a few more seconds, she burst into laughter. Terrato let himself chuckle a little as well. "Point taken," she said.

"I thought so," he replied. There was no need to say anything else to say about that pointless, indulgent idea. The trust was gone. He was never going to believe any surrender from her and she was never going to believe any promise of reprieve. "Now, can we get to more serious things?"

"That was a serious thing," Black Rose replied quietly. "But I will talk about Rainbow Dash. She's in a rather uncomfortable situation at the moment." She took a more reassuring tone at the sight of Terrato's concern. "There's no need to worry, my prince, I don't want the Elements of Harmony dead."

"Where is she?"

"Now where's the fun in just telling you right away? That would leave poor Longstride in a bad spot."

'Longstride," Terrato thought. He remembered the silent pegasus who always kept to himself even when the rest of the Thorns were together. Black Rose was pitting her special squad against the Elements of Harmony. "What happened to 'in all honesty'?" he asked.

"Isn't my reassurance enough?" Black Rose asked. She put on a mock hurt face. He snorted in response. "Very well, since you're so serious. I wish to negotiate a trade, my prince. I will set your Special Operations on the right path towards Rainbow Dash. Mind you, I won't hand her to them gift-wrapped. I also have a good idea of what's going on in the Eternal Herd. I have some tidbits that you are certain to find useful about the oh-so-charming Gravitas."

"And what do you want in return?" Terrato asked.

"A meeting with you in person," Black Rose replied. Any trace of mocking or amusement disappeared from her face. "Just the two of us in a specified place. No violence or trickery. I will tell you all I have just promised."

"What's wrong with magical communication?"

Black Rose's tone saddened. "If you don't understand, my prince, 'stone-cold' is too warm a term for you. I think you do understand though. It's just a little difficult to accept because of the things I've had to do.'

Terrato did understand. At least, he believed he did. He also knew that dealing with the Ninth Rebellion would be far easier than this. Oceanus would likely be strong enough to rip him and his sisters apart with glee but, at least, he was a complete monster that Terrato could charge at without hesitation. "Name the place," he said.

The smile returned to Black Rose's face. "Won't your sisters be suspicious?" she asked. "Shouldn't you consult with them first?"

"They already are," Terrato replied. "And with good reason." He could imagine some the responses already. Luna would vehemently refuse and say this was about as blatant a trap as possible and that Black Rose may as well dangle a giant cage over a piece of carrot. She'd have a point too. This had all the signs of a trap. A void knife to the heart and Black Rose would have power over the sun and the earth, if she didn't explode from taking in too much power. Although it could be argued that the obviousness was the guarantee that it wasn't. Still, this was a certainly a risk he was taking. What for? Some bits of information that he and his sisters could acquire through other means? 'No,' he admitted to himself. He knew the truth. The information was important and were what pushed him to risk this, but that he wanted to see Black Rose in person as well was also a reason.

As for Celestia…he pushed the thought away with a snort. If this had happened yesterday, he'd have a clear idea of what Celestia would say. This morning muddled those expectations up. "Well?" he asked. "Let's hear it."

"The Heavenly Basin," Black Rose said.

Terrato snorted. The Heavenly Basin, the place where it all should have ended. Getting there alone would be quite a trip. Black Rose was giving Longstride a head start. He hoped that Rainbow Dash was made of sterner stuff. "Let me make some arrangements," he replied. There would plenty of those. He was meeting the enemy in a place of her choosing. Preparations had to be made, including contingencies in case Equestria had to function without him. Perhaps he should consult with Luna and Celestia, just to give them warning about what might happen. If he played his cards right, he could very well find out what her plans for Regia Carnifex were.

For an instant, it seemed as if Black Rose's face had lit up in anticipation. After that instant, she had that serene smile once more. "I'll see you there then," she said.


	29. Lion Rampant

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 29: Lion Rampant**

Morning in Canterlot found Rarity not out shopping or even in Hammer Chain's smithy, but roaming the Royal Palace's hallways. She had woken up in the Royal Palace expecting to meet the rest of her friends for breakfast.

She did so with only one of them. Fluttershy looked so heartbroken at the sight of the empty dining hall that Rarity felt like apologizing despite not having done anything wrong. She did, however, harbor a suspicion that her other friends were not exactly absent because they wanted to be. When Fluttershy had flown off to assist Redbrand again, she went to investigate.

Though she abhorred violence and preferred to work her craft in peace, Rarity was tired of this. She was tired of being left in the background while Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack took to the front lines. She glanced at belt she wore around her midriff. Attached to it were her mage-blades, sheathed in leather of her own design. She could fight. She had thought about that encounter with Nightmare Moon back in Bastion City. She didn't have Twilight Sparkle's magical "muscle", but she knew she could do her part if she put her mind into it. It bothered her greatly that she had given so little in helping her friends and all of Equestria for that matter.

"She joined what?" somepony exclaimed.

Rarity recognized Shining Armor's voice. She spotted him farther down the hall, talking to a couple of legionnaires. "Is something wrong, Captain Shining Armor?" she asked.

Shining Armor turned to see who was talking to him while the legionnaires went their way. The scowl on his face took Rarity aback. Seeing her discomfiture, he quickly calmed himself. "Miss Rarity," he said. "Did you know anything about this?"

"Know anything about what?"

"Twiley joining up with the Legion's Special Operations! Applejack too!"

"Well…" Rarity looked away in embarrassment. It didn't take much for her to assume that they had joined Vanguard's squad. "I might have suspected something." Inside, she found herself cursing at Vanguard Clash. Twilight Sparkle _and_ Applejack? He obviously didn't understand the situation. Either that or he was the biggest foal in all of Equestria.

"Special Operations!" Shining Armor said. "It's not enough that she joined the Legion, she had to join the group that gets into the most dangerous situations! And she couldn't even be bothered to tell me first!"

"Imagine that," Rarity said flatly. "Wait…do you know where Twilight is right now?"

"_Third Squad_ went off in search of Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit."

"Search for Rainbow Dash? Why? What happened to her?"

As Shining Armor explained the situation, the frustration continued to build within Rarity. First, Rainbow had disappeared with Scarlet Rabbit. She had warned that mare about how dangerous Scarlet was, but Rainbow didn't listen. 'Of course she didn't listen,' she thought. 'As a matter of fact, my warning probably made her want to do it even more!'

That she had been left here without knowing what had happened up until now was galling. Rainbow Dash was her friend too. She did not appreciate being made to sit around because nopony told her. That only left her with a more irritating question: even if she had been told earlier, what could she have done?

Shining Armor suddenly stopped and looked past Rarity. She followed his gaze and noticed a group of ponies walking down the hall and towards them. At the center of the group was a white unicorn mare with a silvery blue mane. Around her were four heavily armored legionnaires. Rarity recognized the band of metal around the mare's horn as a horn-lock; a device used to suppress magic. "Who's that?" she asked Shining Armor.

"That's the prisoner they brought in from FangBreaker Fortress," Shining Armor replied. His eyes narrowed. "Why are they walking around like that?"

As the prisoner came closer, Rarity noticed that her coat wasn't actually white, but a pale blue. Even though she was clearly under careful watch and surrounded, the unicorn walked with dignity, as if the horn-lock was a medal rather than a restraint. She caught sight of Rarity and her eyes widened. "Element of Generosity," she said.

For a moment, Rarity could only stare. The unicorn mare spoke in such a deep and masculine voice that she thought one of the legionnaires had spoken instead. The group stopped. Eventually, Rarity found her voice. "Y-you know who I am?" she asked.

"I know what you are and what your name is, Rarity, bearer of the Element of Generosity," the unicorn replied. She turned towards Shining Armor. "I won't presume to know who you are though."

"And may I know your name?" Rarity asked.

"I am Blue Moon, former captain of the Thorns and brother to Black Rose." Blue Moon said the name and everything that accompanied it proudly. That he called himself "brother" made it clear to Rarity that he was a stallion, not a mare.

"Black Rose's brother!" Shining Armor said. He turned towards the legionnaires. "Why is he being paraded out here, then?"

"Prince's orders," one of the legionnaires replied.

"I proved cooperative and true to my stated intention of turning against Black Rose," Blue Moon added with a slight smile. "The prince has seen it fit to let me stretch my legs and see the sun my sister is in charge of now."

"Your sister's sun will set soon and never rise again," Shining Armor said in a low tone.

"I certainly hope so," Blue Moon replied. "My sister has dealt many a horrid fate towards her enemies, but she reserves a special hatred for those who turn against her. I would hate to have her win in the end. "

"Wait," Rarity said. "You said you were once the leader of the Thorns."

"I did."

"Then you must know a lot of Black Rose's plans! Where is Rainbow Dash?"

"I've already told the Legion every scrap of information I have," Blue Moon replied. "Including what I do know of Black Rose's plans with you bearers. I'm sorry. All I know is that she assigned Longstride to her."

"Assign? What do you mean?" Rarity listened intently. Beside her, Shining Armor did the same.

"Black Rose assigned a bearer to each member of the Thorns," Blue Moon said. "Our mission was, in her own words, 'put them through adversity'. She believes that it is only by passing through danger and hardship that the Elements will rise to their truest potential."

"The nerve!" Rarity said. "You mean to say she's putting us to the test? Does she think she knows better than the Elements of Harmony? Who does she think she is?"

"You don't understand," Blue Moon said quietly.

"Then help me understand!"

Blue Moon's face hardened, as did his voice. "We are sick and tired of waiting: waiting for our rulers to change, waiting for the Elements to act, waiting for some form of justice to rain down from the Eternal Herd. No more! This much I agreed with my sister. There will be no more waiting around. We will take everything into our own hooves. If Celestia won't change her mind about her barrier, we will force her to change her mind. If the Elements of Harmony are not up to the task, we will force them to be up to the task. If the bearers fail, let them die so somepony more worthy can be chosen."

"If you believe that, then why did you betray your group?" Shining Armor asked.

"Black Rose betrayed me!" Blue Moon snapped. "She's reached too far. We are mortals in the end and she's forgotten that! But I've already explained myself to the prince." He turned his attention back to Rarity.

"Your friend is the bearer of the Element of Loyalty. I left the group before Longstride could explain his plan, but it will be her loyalty that will be tested." His hardened expression gave way. "The only thing I can offer beyond that is that he is not tasked to assassinate her. If your friend endures, then he will personally ensure that she is returned."

"What if she fails?"

"Then his arrows will find her heart."

"How arrogant!" Rarity stomped her hoof. "Playing judge and jury over a pony like that! Rainbow may be brash and a little foalish, but she doesn't deserve this 'adversity'."

"Nopony does," Blue Moon said. His eyes narrowed. "I understand your worry for your friend, Miss Rarity. However, I'd be more concerned about you."

"Me?" Rarity asked. "Why me? I'm still here in Canterlot, not wandering off or joining dangerous missions."

"You are Lion Court's assignment. He went so far as to personally request for you. That your blood doesn't freeze goes to show how little information about him remains intact."

Rarity swallowed and felt a bead of sweat slowly trickle down the side of her face. It wasn't even particularly warm in the palace. "Why?" she asked. She remembered the "coincidental" appearance of a book that would help her. A book penned down by "the legendary Lion Court".

"Don't let the refined manners fool you should you meet him," Blue Moon went on. "If you fail, you will wish for Longstride's arrows, or Sable's poisons, even for Frenzy Heart's stone blade if he was still around. You'll wish for all of those and hundred other deaths than what you'll get at the hooves of Lion Court. If I were you, Element of Generosity, I'd focus my concern for myself."

With that, Blue Moon walked past the two.

"Where are you going?" Shining Armor asked.

"Outside." Blue Moon didn't look back. "I need some sun. Celestia's or Black Rose's. It doesn't matter after spending days in a dungeon."

With Blue Moon gone, Shining Armor looked at Rarity. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine," Rarity replied. With a nod, Shining Armor also walked off. She remembered the information on the Thorns she read. Lion Court was known for wielding mage-blades. She had considered the possibility of having to fight him at that point. They wielded the same weapons after all. He must have felt something similar when his group was reviewing each bearer of the Elements of Harmony. She glanced towards her mage-blades again. What should she expect from Lion Court? He was supposed to specialize in duels, but a duel would not be a test of generosity. She shook her head. 'I'll deal with that when it comes,' she thought. 'Right now, it's Rainbow Dash who needs help!'

An idea came to mind as Rarity left the Royal Palace. She was Lion Court's assignment, one that he expressed a great deal of interest in. Why else would he go out of his way to pick her, then place a book of his own writing for her benefit? There was a good chance that he was tracking her, if he wasn't observing her right now. She could find out a lot if she could talk to him, but how could she bait him into coming out?

Canterlot was a big city with enough nooks and crannies to hide an army of spies and it was probably doing just that with both the Legion's and Black Rose's agents running about. Though Rarity had also read up on the descriptions of the Thorns, it was unlikely that she'd spot Lion Court by simply searching for him. However, Blue Moon's warning contained the clue she needed. _"Don't let the refined manners fool you,"_ he had said. The thorn assigned to her was a pony of refinement, even if it was just for show. Perhaps she could appeal to that.

Rarity made her way through Delicacy Street, where many of Canterlot's finest restaurants had their establishments. There, she picked one of her favorites: a small but elegant place just by the corner of the street. "Cold Snap and Heat Wave's" belonged to a couple of pegasus stallions, brothers who specialized in Manehatten cuisine. "A table for two please," she told the waiter. She had eaten a light breakfast and should still have room for a little brunch. The waiter showed her to her table and offered her the menu.

"Thank you," Lion Court said. "I'll have a Manehatten omelet with extra tomatoes."

"I'll just have the lettuce salad," Rarity said. The waiter bowed slightly and walked off.

"This is certainly a nice place you've picked," Lion Court said. "It's a pity that there appears to be very few customers."

"We'll it's not really rush hour isn't it?" Rarity replied.

"True."

Rarity stopped, then looked at the stallion sitting across the table from her. She nearly stood up. Lion Court! When did he…how did he…instinctively, her horn glowed as she enveloped her mage-blades with magic. Lion Court had entered the place, sat next to her, and was making small talk before she could realize what was going on! It didn't even make sense as to how she was able to recognize him!

"I like the way you think, Miss Rarity," Lion Court said. "You are probably the only bearer who would actually consider sitting down and talking to one of the Thorns. Please relax. I'm not here to assassinate you. You invited me to a meal and I accepted."

Rarity continued to stare. Lion Court's dark blond mane certainly lived up to his namesake. He was wearing a deep red suit and the sword belt around him torso displayed three long blades. He sat with an easy, casual manner as if he was at home entertaining a guest instead of being in a city full of enemies. "How did you do that?" she asked. "One would think you'd be quickly noticed with that bold color you have on." She let go of her mage-blades.

"Pardon?" Lion Court asked.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"Ah, you mean my little introductions bypass. 'Lion Court - unicorn mage. Served as a diplomat and spy. Credited with two hundred kills from formal duels. Specializes in mind-affecting magic and uses the extremely rare skill of mage-blade wielding'. That's what it says on my description, correct? You let your guard down. It's easy to fiddle with the mind's recognition ability." He looked at his suit. "Do you think dark red is a little too much for this occasion? I have a fondness for the color." He tilted his head at her. "I think you'd look lovely in it."

"That was rather rude of you to do so," Rarity said. "A gentlecolt would introduce himself."

"Rude, but necessary, I'm afraid," Lion Court replied. His smile widened and Rarity could have sworn she saw the hint of a fang in his mouth. "I'm here not just as a gentlecolt, but as something of a tutor as well. 'Sharp blade, sharp mind'; I wrote that in the first chapter. We won't have much of a dance together if I can easily convince you that left is right and right is left."

"Then you really should give me more than a couple of days to read up on your work." Rarity kept her face placid when she replied. She refused to let Lion Court keep her off balance.

Lion Court rested his head on a foreleg. "Enough of my reasons," he said. "What could the Element of Generosity want with me?"

"To the point then," Rarity said. "One of my friends has gone missing. I would like to know where she is."

"That would be Rainbow Dash," Lion Court said. "Seeing as Sable would have to be insane to abduct Pinkie Pie and the mistress isn't the sort to be so direct."

'Pinkie Pie has been "assigned" to Sablesteel,' Rarity noted. 'If Blue Moon's information is correct, Black Rose has probably "assigned" two of us to herself. Maybe even three since he defected.' She smiled politely at Lion Court, just to match the one he had. "So where is she now?"

Lion Court leaned a little closer. "I just might answer that. First, what are you going to offer me? Negotiations go both ways, you know."

Rarity steeled herself for the worst. _"A hundred other deaths,"_ Blue Moon had said. "Well, what would you like in return?" she asked.

The waiter returned with their orders. For a few minutes, both of them simply enjoyed their food. At least, Rarity tried to. It was difficult to enjoy anything when the enemy was sitting across the table. "How about we play a little game?" Lion Court asked as he finished off the last of his omelet.

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "You'd barter your organization's plans over a game?"

Lion Court looked around him. The few customers in the place had started to leave. Rarity noticed that his horn was glowing as he watched the last pony in the room. "Actually, I'm bartering the advancement of Longstride's plans for the advancement of mine. The truth be told, just making him work hard enough to change that stony expression of his would be worth it even if I stood to gain little else."

Rarity watched as the last of the customers left. "You controlled their minds," she said.

"I don't have the magical strength to do something so drastic and direct," Lion Court replied. "I just gave them that annoying feeling that they should be off doing something else that they haven't quite remembered yet. They're hoping that it will come to them on the way. We should get some privacy for a quarter of an hour or so."

"Assuming nopony else decides to enter," Rarity said.

"The sign outside now says closed. A little favor from one of our agents." Lion Court's horn flashed again and the curtains by the windows closed.

"And the staff?" Rarity asked.

A shout from the kitchen served as an answer. "Also indisposed," Lion Court said. "Don't worry, no harm will be done."

The dark atmosphere within one of her favorite spots in Canterlot perturbed Rarity. "So what is this game you're proposing then?" she asked, her tone still confident.

"I propose a duel," Lion Court said. "Mage-blades of course, no mind tricks of any sort from me."

"And how will that facilitate any information exchange?"

Lion Court stood up and stretched his neck. "The rules are simple," he said. "For each cut we inflict on the other, I will answer one question honestly." The blades on his belt unsheathed themselves and floated above him in a ring with points out. Each blade was about three times as long as hers: one had a delicately curving edge, the other was a narrow thrusting weapon, and the third was slightly shorter, but had a wide blade.

Rarity pulled out her own mage-blades and spun three blades in front of her in a triangular pattern."I hope you brought plenty of bandages," she said. "I mean to ask plenty of questions."

"That's the spirit," Lion Court said. Rarity's fourth blade suddenly flew from its hiding place beneath one of the tables. He moved his wide-bladed sword slightly, blocking the attack before it reached his shoulder. "Clever…and dirty. You're a mare after my own heart, Miss Rarity."

"Your heart?" Rarity said. "Don't be silly, darling, a blade to the heart would silence you and the game would be over."

Lion Court pushed the table between them aside and the duel was in earnest. Rarity seized the initiative, attacking from four different directions at once to take advantage of Lion Court's fewer mage-blades and to prevent him from formulating a plan. She had no delusions of being able to defeat him. He had spent a lifetime perfecting his dueling while she had read through half the instructional book that _he_ wrote and devoted a couple of hours each day for practice. Still, she had a good feeling that killing her would be a failure for him. She just needed to hold her own and she would come out of this having helped her friends.

Mage-blades flickered quickly through the air, glinting as they caught the few beams of sunlight that the closed curtains allowed. Lion Court knocked away two of Rarity's mage-blades with a single sweep of his wide-bladed sword, then stabbed at her through the hole in her defense. She hopped to the side, dodging the lightning-quick thrust from his pointed sword.

"Too much movement!" Lion Court clucked his tongue. His curved blade was already positioned where Rarity ended up and struck. The weapon spun swiftly and a sharp pain to her side nearly made Rarity drop her weapons. She felt a trickle of blood run down her torso, just past her shoulders. "First cut is mine."

"Where is Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked.

"She's still in Equestria."

"That's not fair!" Rarity said. She used two of her blades to smash aside his parrying sword, then stabbed at him from his left and right.

Lion Court shrugged. "I've broken none of the established rules." He caught the stabs with his remaining swords, then used his parrying blade to smash Rarity's blades towards her. They were inches from her face before she regained control. It was his turn to go on an offensive. All three weapons whirled above him as he advanced, forcing Rarity to take a few steps back. The curved sword spun and danced through the air, advancing towards Rarity only to float back when she moved her blades to block. His parrying blade suddenly lunged, smashing into three of her weapons in a violent push. She struggled to keep it back, using three of her blades just to do so. As she had feared, his thrusting sword buried a quarter-inch of its blade into her right foreleg. "Second cut."

Rarity stepped back. "Where in Equestria?" she asked between pants.

"That would be difficult to pinpoint," Lion Court replied. "They're moving after all. Consider that they captured your friend at the edges of Canterlot and that they're moving south. They're probably almost past the Everfree Forest at this point. They'll certainly be avoiding places like Appleloosa."

'South," Rarity thought. 'They're taking her south…but why did he say "they"? Doesn't he mean Longstride?' She took another step back and winced when she leaned on her foreleg. "Who are 'they'?" she asked.

"One question too many!" Lion Court replied. His blades swept past her in a confusing array of slashing and spinning. She tried to keep them back desperately, but a second cut appeared on her torso. "There, remedied. As for your question, why the ophidite that Longstride is working with of course. Along with her motley band of pony slaves."

Rarity stepped up her attack. It was clear now that she didn't have the strength to defend against him blade for , he swung and recovered with speed and ease. She was panting and bleeding and it looked like he was only warming up. His parrying blade smashed into her defense again while his curved blade spun behind her. She answered by jumping directly in front of Lion Court with all four blades at the ready. His parrying blade flew past her, leaving a small gash near her tail. She grit her teeth and swung all four blades at him.

Lion Court answered with a hoof to her snout, sending her tumbling backwards and knocking down several tables. "That's two questions," Lion Court said as he looked at the gash near her tail and her cut lip.

"Three," Rarity said with a smile. Blood ran down Lion Court's cheek and soaked into his beard. One of her blades had cut open a wound from just beneath his eye to his jaw.

"Excellent!" Lion Court said. "Ask away!"

"What is Black Rose's final goal?"

"I don't know."

Rarity's eyes narrowed at the answer.

"I speak truly," Lion Court said. "Nopony knows Black Rose's final goal. Not her Thorns, not even her beloved."

"Then what are her short-term goals?"

"To strengthen the Elements of Harmony or replace them as seen fit and to make sure the Eternal Herd doesn't destroy all of ponykind."

"What does she need the Elements of Harmony for?"

"To protect Equestria."

"Again with the vague answers!"

"I know! Such an amusing game!" Lion Court suddenly rushed Rarity, leaving her little time to so much as raise her weapons. His front hooves flashed forward, forcing her to weave from side to side. His blades slashed and thrust in concert with his hoof strikes, all but transforming him into a whirling storm of hooves and steel. Two more cuts, deep ones this time appeared across Rarity's right side. Horrendous pain surged through her legs, making them wobble. She understood the increase in his pace and the severity of her wounds. Lion Court had decided that he had answered enough questions and wanted the game to end. She stepped back to catch her breath. "Two more!" she said between gasps for air.

"Ask quickly," Lion Court said. "You look ready to faint. It would be a pity to suffer wounds meaninglessly."

"Why play this game in the first place?"

"A simple exercise in giving, my dear Element of Generosity. Your blood for information. How many cuts and how much pain will you take to help your cause? Sacrifice separates the true givers from the false ones. It takes faith as well. Consider that I might be a worthless liar in the end so that all your cuts have been in vain! Finally, I just had to duel with a mage-blade wielder. I had feared that the art died with me. You cannot fathom how your very existence gladdens my heart."

"What about..." Rarity stumbled as her vision began to blur. 'Not yet,' she thought. "What about that sealed alicorn and this Foul Weapon business?"

"Equestria will need the Foul Weapon soon," Lion Court answered. "Mortals have few weapons against alicorns and must use what's available. That's three. Let's step up the pace shall we?" His horn flashed and he disappeared from sight.

Two possibilities quickly crossed Rarity's mind when her opponent vanished. He had either turned invisible or teleported. On instinct, she whirled to face her back, but the pain of her wounds and the blood loss left her body unable to follow. She stumbled again just as she saw Lion Court's foreleg grasp her by the mane.

Lion Court pulled her close, inspecting her critically. "Just as I thought," he said. "You look lovely in red." He pushed her aside just in time to avoid a couple of swipes from her blades. Two of her mage-blades clattered to the floor. Concentrating on all four had proven too difficult. "I'd say this is the end of our duel. Thank you for the wonderful time, Miss Rarity." He suddenly turned his head to reveal a second cut that ran down the side of his neck. "And I owe you an answer. 'till our next duel!"

"Wait…" Rarity said weakly. She took one more step before falling to her knees.

"Stay still, Miss Rarity," Lion Court said without looking back. "If you bleed out, your information will die with you." He opened the door to the restaurant and started shouting. "Help! Help! There's been an attack in here!"

Rarity tried to stand, but her vision continued to worsen and the floor only seemed to come closer. She couldn't faint now. Others had to be told of where Rainbow Dash was heading. "Of all the worst things that could happen…" She collapsed completely.


	30. Dragon Scourge

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 30: The Dragon Scourge**

_"Ponyville!" Spike cried out. He couldn't believe it was finally time. The snow from the worst winter ever was finally melting, his training was complete, and he was finally allowed to return to his friends. He soared past Everfree Forest, admiring the enormous shadow he cast on the trees below. With a graceful flourish, he landed in the middle of the village, expecting a great many "oohs" and "aahs" from the ponies all around._

_A horrible and deep wail blared from village square's sirens followed by the screams of every pony who caught sight of him. "Wait!" he told them. "It's me! It's Spike! I'm not going to hurt any of you!" He cringed as his voice came out as vicious roars. Something struck the scales on his chest. He looked down and saw a crossbow bolt fall away. Several more followed._

_"Seifralhadar!" Seethe Scale was suddenly right next to Spike. She roared at the panicking ponies and the line of legionnaires that had formed up. "It's us against them!"_

_"No!" Spike roared. He raised a claw to stop her, but it was too late. She exhaled a great blast of fire, consuming the legionnaires and igniting every nearby house. The screams grew louder and more frantic. Spike spotted Big Macintosh ram into Seethe Scale so the other ponies could escape. She rumbled deeply in her chest, then lifted the stallion with both claws. "Stop! Seethe Scale, don't eat Big Mac! Don't eat him!" Despite his pleas, Seethe Scale bit down on Big Macintosh's head and pulled. The stallion's neck stretched and tore. Blood spattered all over Seethe Scale's white fur and dripped from the bits of torn muscle and few remaining ligaments still attaching the head to the rest the body. Throughout the gruesome scene, Ponyville's siren continued to drone on and on…_

Spike groaned and opened his eyes. The dream was already receding, but that awful droning noise continued. Seethe Scale was already up. She moved to the very back of the cave, the one place that she didn't allow him to explore, and took something. "What's going on?" he asked. "What's that awful noise?"

"Alarm," Seethe Scale said. "A rogue dragon is approaching Wallforge."

The mention of a dragon attack may as well have been a bucket of ice water hurled into Spike's face. "What am I supposed to do?" he asked. He already feared the answer. He wanted to see firsthand how the Barrier Lands reacted to dragons, but Seethe Scale was likely going to ask him to stay in the cave while she dealt with the problem.

"You're coming with me," Seethe Scale said. "You need to see this." She lowered her shoulder so Spike could climb to her back.

The feel of Seethe Scale's coarse hair between Spike's fingers suddenly made him realize that this was the closest he had been to her since they met. The distance only made her size more apparent. She was undoubtedly a giant among ponies. Her fur made it difficult to notice, but she was very strong; a veritable wall of sinewy muscle, coarse fur, and toughened scales. His dream lingered within the recesses of his mind. Even Big Macintosh, the biggest and strongest pony he knew, would be a mere colt compared to her. Even alone, it wouldn't take much for Seethe Scale to demolish Ponyville and slaughter its inhabitants. 'Or me either…' he thought.

Still, a full-grown dragon would dwarf Seethe Scale. The Legion relied on her to kill 'rogue dragons', but he doubted that she did her job by matching her foes brawn for brawn. That was where her weaponry came in. On her back, he moved a few inches aside as she slung a bow across her shoulders. Spike guessed that it was a bow from the shape and from what other ponies had said. Otherwise, he wouldn't have recognized the massive thing. The weapon was made from a white, flexible material that curved into a graceful crescent shape. Even unstrung, it maintained its curve. He watched as Seethe Scale grabbed hold of the great roll of dragongut attached to one end, then stretch it over to form the string. "Is…is that how you hunt dragons?" he asked. The continuing siren forced him to raise his voice.

"Yes."

"What's it called?"

"The pony who crafted it called it 'Dragonslayer Greatbow'. I just call it 'Father'."

"Father? Why?"

"His bones. His gut." Seethe Scale attached an enormous quiver full of the barbed arrows to the belt she was wearing, then unfolded her wings. "Spike?"

"Yes?"

"If it helps you sleep better, I promise not to eat Big Mac."

"Uh...thanks. I'm sure he'll appreciate it too."

"Hold on." Seethe Scale flapped her wings a couple of times and took off. In an instant, Spike was clutching desperately at hanks of her fur as a cold winter draft blasted him in the face. "Over there."

Spike opened his eyes and followed Seethe Scale's claw. Snow-capped trees covered the icy expanse of the Western Barrier Land's terrain, turning it into a tapestry of whites and greens as far as he could see. Wallforge was only a short flight away, easily spotted with its massive gray walls and the smoke from its hundreds of chimneys. It was the dragon approaching the city that held Spike's attention. It walked on the ground with six legs despite the pair of wings on its back. Its long, serpentine body was covered in dark green scales and divided into two segments from the way its legs were positioned.

"Gluttony Dragon," Seethe Scale rumbled. "There is no negotiating with this one."

"What are gluttony dragons like?" Spike asked.

"The name should tell you everything," Seethe Scale said. She banked to her left, trying to get a good spot that had a view of the dragon's side. "They're eating machines. This one is liable to stuff the entire city in its gullet, walls and all, if it's not stopped."

Spike looked at the gluttony dragon's head. Unlike other dragons, it didn't have any horns, spines, or a crest. Its head was completely smooth, resembling a serpent's instead of a dragon. "It's got a pretty small head to fit an entire city," he said. "Do its jaws work like a snake's?"

"You're looking at its talking mouth," Seethe Scale said. The gluttony dragon reared up. Two pairs of its legs remained on the ground while the foremost pair spread out as if it was going to embrace the city.

Pegasi squads flew from Wallforge and around its attacker in formations. They swooped in, slashing with their enormous, curved blades. Several dove head-first and stabbed the dragon's back with their spears. The dragon let out a hiss and tried to swat the pegasi away, but its slow swings found nothing but air. Spike could see more ponies along the walls, wheeling forward ballistae and catapults. Lightning flashed as several unicorn magi unleashed their magic.

Spike could only gasp and wince as the dragon's chest quivered, then split open from the base of its neck all the way to just above its middle pair of legs. Hundreds upon hundreds of dagger-like teeth lined the resulting flaps of flesh and the maw itself. The gaping jaws displaced its front claws so that they were almost parallel at its back. Great gobs of yellowish slime dripped from the cavernous mouth, hissing and smoking wherever they landed.

"That's the feeding mouth," Seethe Scale said.

Spike clutched at his own chest. "Thank Celestia I didn't turn into a gluttony dragon!" he said.

Seethe Scale landed on an outcropping of rock, still a good distance from the monstrosity as it continued to lumber towards the city. The gluttony dragon was so bent on eating the city and fending off its attackers that it hadn't noticed them. Spike shivered and held on to Seethe Scale tightly. The dragon was so big that it plunged them entirely in its shadow. Seethe Scale lifted her enormous weapon and plunged the spike on its base into the rock. Her shoulders tensed and her arms bulged as she drew back the bowstring and nocked and arrow. The silence of the whole encounter was disturbing. The gluttony dragon didn't roar or thrash and the city's defenders were so far that all that could be heard from them were a few distant shouts. For a moment, Spike watched breathlessly as Seethe Scale kept her bow taut and aimed. There was a loud thrum and the arrow was gone.

The gluttony dragon suddenly thrashed about. It didn't cry out, but a violent growl escaped its gigantic maw. Seethe Scale's enormous arrow stuck out of its skull. Great clumps of soil, mixed with boulders and tree trunks, flew around them. One tree sailed over Spike, then splintered when it struck the rocks behind him. Seethe Scale didn't even budge. She fired a second arrow. This one plunged through the gluttony dragon's neck, leaving a hole that a pony could crawl through in its wake. Hot blood rained on both of them soaking Seethe Scale's white fur an ugly crimson and forcing Spike to wipe the slick liquid from his eyes. Another tree flew towards them. Seethe Scale simply opened her jaws and exhaled a blast of lurid red flames. Spike coughed and choked as a cloud of ash descended on them. A loud crash sent more snow and dust rising and, when Spike finally cleared his vision, the gluttony dragon had disappeared under all the debris it raised.

"Calm down," Seethe Scale said. "It's dead."

The ponies circling above them cheered while the cloud settled. Spike strained to see what should be a massive corpse, but he couldn't even make out a silhouette. Seethe Scale leaped from her spot and glided gently towards the center of the cloud. When everything had settled at last, Spike finally spotted the body.

Instead of the corpse of the rampaging monster he had just seen, Spike found himself looking at the body of a juvenile that couldn't be past its early teens. He gagged when he saw the stubbly wings, the gangly legs, the badly torn neck, and the half of the face that was still there.

"Some dragon in his gluttony phase," Seethe Scale said. "I figured as much. A dragon of the correct age as his size would have noticed us at least."

Spike seized the fur around the kirin's neck and tugged at them hard to make her look at him. "You knew?" he asked. "You knew that it was just some kid going through a phase and you shot him dead?"

"Yes."

"Why? Wasn't there some other way? Couldn't you have done something to change him back? I survived my appetite phase! Why couldn't he?"

"Different dragon, different circumstances." Seethe Scale walked over the corpse and picked it up.

"What are you doing now?"

"Breakfast."

Spike's jaw dropped. "You're going to eat him?"

"Yes."

"That's disgusting!"

"For a pony. For a dragon, being eaten by another dragon is the most honorable way to have your corpse treated." Seethe Scale glanced at the city behind her. "The opposite is to have your remains turned into construction material. If you're finding yourself sick. Think more like a dragon."

Spike folded his arms and glared at Seethe Scale. She was right. Of course she was right. She knew everything there was to dragons and he knew nothing at all even though he was the full-blood while she was the half-breed. He hated it. He hated every bit of knowledge she imparted to him with her cold, unchanging face and her terse way of talking. Dragons were awesome and majestic when he was sitting by the sidelines of their great migration with all his pony friends. The more he found out about his own kind, the more their savagery appalled him.

Seethe Scale suddenly looked around. The pegasi had landed all around them and more ponies were coming out of the city. She grunted and flexed her wings. A low, rousing chant emerged from the gathered ponies. They pounded their hooves on the ground while a few reared up to cheer her.

"Seethe Scale! Seethe Scale! Seethe Scale!"

Seethe Scale flinched. It was such an odd sensation to see her finally showing discomfort. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"I don't like crowds," Seethe Scale muttered. She flapped her wings and rose to the air with the dead dragon in her claws. The gathered ponies below them cheered even louder. Some of them even galloped after her.

"They just wanted to show their thanks," Spike said.

Seethe Scale had put several miles between her and Wallforge when she replied. "I don't want their thanks," she said. "I don't protect Wallforge for Wallforge's sake."

"Then why do you protect Wallforge?"

"Wallforge is one of the prince's favorite cities," Seethe Scale replied.

"You're doing all of this just for Prince Terrato?"

The kirin's voice lowered, forcing Spike to strain just to hear her. "I was an abomination that had no place in this world. He saved me from the Draco'dim at a great cost. Every day, I must prove that he made a wise investment."

Spike didn't know what to say next so he let her fly on in silence. At least, he thought that it was silence. He covered his ears when he heard the grisly crunching of Seethe Scale biting into her "breakfast". He reminded himself repeatedly that dragons were different. That Seethe Scale was actually honoring the dead dragon. His mind agreed easily enough. His guts continued to contort and twist themselves into knots.

Minutes passed before Spike realized that Seethe Scale wasn't flying back to her lair. "So…uh…where are we going?" he finally asked.

"The lair of Himfadora," Seethe Scale replied. "She's an envy dragon who wants to meet you."

The farther they flew, the more rugged the landscape became. They flew past a frozen gorge, then plunged into a valley so deep that the sun's rays barely made it through. Here, foliage gave way to jagged rock formations. They flew between the sheer walls of a narrow corridor of rock and until they came upon the entrance of a cave. The size alone told Spike what he should be expecting.

"Remember my warnings," Seethe Scale said.

Spike swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded. 'Seifralhadar,' he thought. 'So long as I'm out here with Seethe Scale, my name is Seifralhadar.' Some of his frustration returned. Why should the Draco'dim even care what his name was? Why were they willing to kill dragons for petty slights like this? Having them be the closest thing to dragonkind's rulers was wrong no matter how he looked at it. Not allowing dragons to eat ponies didn't make things alright.

Spike looked around impatiently after a minute passed. Seethe Scale had told him already of how one should enter the home of a dragon. Dragons were a fiercely territorial lot, easily provoked into a rage by trespassing. The respectful way was to wait at the entrance until their host detected their scents and gave them permission to enter.

"The half-pony is back I see." The loud, hissing voice came from the innermost recesses of the cave. If Seethe Scale hadn't mentioned that the dragon they were going to meet was a "her", he wouldn't have figured it out from the voice. "And she has an actual dragon with her. Is he the one to make the claim?"

"Yes," Seethe Scale replied. "This is Seifralhadar."

"What?" Spike asked loudly, his eyes wide as he stared at Seethe Scale. She didn't even blink at his question.

Neither did the dragon in the cave it seemed. "Enter," Himfadora called out. Seethe Scale took a step forward, but Spike remained where he was.

"Tell me what this whole 'make the claim' business is all about first!" Spike said when Seethe Scale looked at him.

"If you loiter out here, Himfadora will take it as an insult," Seethe Scale replied. "She'll sting you and you'll die. More from bursting like a too full water balloon than from any effect of the poison."

Spike ground his teeth and clenched his fists. "You'll explain inside right?" he asked.

"You have not even bothered to tell him, half-pony?" Himfadora said. "Sometimes, it's hard to tell who is worse: Afralhadar or Terrato. Everything will be explained in time, Seifralhadar. Now, come inside."

Spike forced himself to be mollified for now. What was this claiming business? Was it part of his disguise just to hide from the Draco'dim? His resentment towards Seethe Scale's terse methods returned. If she had her way, the world would be reduced to yes or no questions. His darkvision took over when the light from the entrance failed.

Unlike Seethe Scale's naturally-formed cave, Himfadora's lair was clearly carved out of the surrounding rock. The floor was smooth, as were the walls. Gigantic rounded pillars rose around them, each one easily fifty feet high. Spike caught a glimpse of the piles of coins and gems as he walked farther in, but he made sure not to look at them. Seethe Scale had warned him that dragons distrusted their kind most of all when it came to treasure. One covetous creature knew the mind of another one all too well. He followed the loud breathing and looked up.

Himfadora reclined on a raised marble slab that looked over her entire hoard. Darkvision made it impossible to tell what color her scales were, but Spike noted the other details. She was very sleek for a dragon of her size and her scales were fine, like a snake's. A majestic, spined crest, each spine about five feet from root to tip, ran down from her forehead to her tail, which coiled on itself several times before hanging down the slab. It had to be twice as long as the tails of other dragons he had seen. It ended in a great stinger, similar to that of a scorpion's.

"I expected a slightly bigger dragon," Himfadora said. "But that may be because of your pedigree. If you listen to the stories, one would expect Reinfadora's hatchling to come out of his egg fully grown."

"Seifralhadar has spent all his life fending for himself in the Heartland," Seethe Scale said. "His growth has been delayed."

"But now that the pony prince has assigned him to your care, he's going to be better I take it?" Himfadora said. "The others won't take well to the idea that he is pony-grown."

"Just hold on!" Spike yelled. He clapped his own claws over his mouth at the outburst, but being surrounded by creatures so much bigger than him made it feel as if anything less would not be heard. "What do you mean Reinfadora's hatchling? What's going on?"

Himfadora stretched herself out lazily and let out a hiss. "We'll get to the details later. First, we make sure that we're not wasting our time and pinning our hopes on a worthless hatchling." She snaked her head down towards Spike. "Did you really think that the pony prince sent you here out of the kindness of his heart? He needs you to accomplish things and I am going to make sure that you are up to the task. After all, it's my neck on the line if you aren't."

Spike looked to Seethe Scale again. "Seifralhadar will prove himself," she said. "I believe in him."

Himfadora rose from the marble slab and walked deeper into the cave. Spike nearly jumped at how quickly something so huge could move. Himfadora moved on her thin limbs like a big spider suddenly scuttling about. "Follow me, I know just the place for him to prove himself!" she called out after them.

"Prince Terrato said that I'm here to grow stronger," Spike said. "He's using me isn't he?"

"Of course he's using you," Seethe Scale replied. "Just as he's using me, Himfadora, and the others."

"What for? And why didn't he just tell me from the start?"

"Equestria will need allies soon. Your friends and his sisters would not have agreed to burden you with this task. You are a hatchling to them. Equestria needs you to be more." Seethe Scale started to follow Himfadora. Spike grabbed a hold of her fur in response. She stopped and looked at him, her eyes glowing gold in the darkness. "Earlier you protested against the way the Draco'dim ruled dragons. Here's your chance to do something about it."

The challenge left Spike silent. Seethe Scale picked him up with a claw and settled him on her back. It was true that he felt that something had to be done about the Draco'dim. But what could he do? He was barely more than a hatchling. "Is it because I'm this Reinfadora's hatchling?" he asked quietly. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer. He was torn between wanting to believe just to have something about his possible origins and viewing the whole thing as just some elaborate lie by either Prince Terrato or this Himfadora.

"Yes."

As they went deeper and deeper into the cave, Spike tried to picture what his actual mother would look like. The only image that ever formed was Princess Celestia's, the pony who took care of him in his infancy. He welcomed the inability. It was true that he had always been curious, but he needed no other family than the one he actually grew up with. "Just who was Reinfadora?" he asked.

"Reinfadora," Seethe Scale said. The reverence was unmistakable in her voice. "Draco'hraz, Draco'riina, Draco'shur Saryll…"

"Uh…I don't understand a word of that."

"You should get used to those words at least. Reinfadora: Dragon Scourge, Dragon Queen, Dragon of Sin."

"D-did you just say 'queen'?"

"She was the closest to being one," Seethe Scale replied. "Reinfadora's name carries a great deal of influence. Even today."

Spike leaned closer to Seethe Scale's face. "What happened to her?"

"Sickness," Seethe Scale said. "Even a mighty sin dragon can fall to a bad infection. It was a humbling experience for all of dragonkind. So much so that many refused to accept it. Many dragons turned on her mate, Drellhadar, thinking that he had cooked up something in his laboratories that killed her." Seethe Scale eyed Spike closely. "He was your father."

"And what was he like?" Spike asked.

Seethe Scale hesitated before answering. "Drellhadar…they called him 'Drellhadar the Malformed. He was said to be a hideous creature, born almost blind, with neither scales nor hind legs. Only a milky white skin and a mass of tails that dragged him to where he wished to go."

"What kind of dragon was he?"

"No one is sure. Drellhadar's early life was a secret and he didn't fit with the other categories of dragon."

"So my mother is the queen of dragons and my father was deformed monster…"

Before Seethe Scale could reply, the two of them finally caught up with Himfadora. She was perched over great hole in the ground. Spike tried to look at what could lie within, but even his darkvision failed him.

"Below is the entrance to one of Drellhadar's laboratories," Himfadora said. "Some of the guardians he created are still active. They are meant to recognize him and those who carry his blood. If you are truly his and Reinfadora's hatchling, they will acknowledge you."

"And if he's not?" Seethe Scale asked.

"Drellhadar delighted in killing intruders in violent and horrific ways."

"Seifralhadar will pass with no trouble," Seethe Scale said. She turned towards Spike. "You can do this."

Spike edged closer to the hole and shuddered. "I-I don't know. Why do I even need to do this?"

"The prince needs you to be a seed of influence among dragonkind," Seethe Scale said. "The dragons need you as a symbol to rally behind and overthrow the Draco'dim's tyranny. You need to harness your origins to help your friends. Find the balance."

Spike held on tightly to Seethe Scale's fur as she jumped down and winged her way through the darkness.


	31. Unshakable Loyalty

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 31: Unshakable Loyalty**

A couple of days had passed since Hashymissa's group successfully captured Scarlet Rabbit and the coatl pony. They had made their way south as stealthily as possible, holing up during the day and traveling cautiously at night. Though the slaves she picked were all pegasi, Hashymissa ordered the group to stay on the ground to avoid the aerial patrols.

It didn't take long for them to notice an increase in those patrols. As a result, progress was slow. It helped that their "ally", Longstride, was on a lookout, and had a means to give them early warning if a patrol was coming close.

By noon, the group had hunkered down in what their map called "Ghastly Gorge". They found a cave close to the river and stayed there, disguising the entrance as best they could.

Scarlet Rabbit continued to struggle, forcing them to keep him bound tightly and suspended from a pole for two slaves to carry. The coatl pony proved more manageable. Hashymissa rode her when they traveled by coiling her tail around the pony's torso and she had yet to act up.

Indeed, even after all her years of managing Hassyth's pony slaves, it was a rare thing for Hashymissa to encounter such a docile, easily-controlled pony. Whenever she had seen it, it was either an Ophidus-grown pony or a desperate criminal fleeing from Equestria, eager to forget a former life.

As for discipline, the single, initial dose of Emperor's Tears was all that was needed to impress the pain of disobedience. After that, the coatl pony knelt, walked, stopped, and turned on command, as if she was a properly bred slave trained since birth. If only all ponies were like this, Equestria would be a productive, well-ordered province in the span of a century.

Despite the initial success, Hashymissa remained on edge. In her lifetime of service to Hassyth, this would be the first time she suspected that she was in over her head. The Equestrian Legion was searching for them with a fervor that could only mean that they had taken some important ponies. She had no doubt that it would be her head crushed beneath a pony hoof should she be captured.

If she had been allowed to decide, she would have refused to do this based on their method of infiltrating Equestria alone. Too much depended on their mysterious benefactor. If this Black Rose decided to abandon them now, her group would be stranded in the middle of a nest of very angry ponies. She didn't put her master above being blinded by the prospect of recapturing Scarlet Rabbit. For all their power and influence, the coatls were a superstitious lot. Hassyth's fortunes began their decline when he lost his prize racer to a Legion raid. Gaining him back had to be the signal for their return.

Hashymissa wasn't as excited by the prospect. She was the one to have to retrieve them while her master waited in his manor. She also didn't like the idea that what Black Rose could gain from this arrangement remained vague. And those were just the distant concerns. At the moment, one of the slaves, Wild-eyed, had been glancing at the coatl pony whenever he thought Hashymissa wasn't looking.

"Wild-eyed," Hashymissa hissed. "You fancy the coatl pony."

"Not at all, mistress," Wild-eyed replied. His tone told Hashymissa his real answer. He was a strong pony, with muscles showing under his mint-green coat. His dark green mane was cropped short; the standard cut for all pony slaves. He was a hard worker and smart enough not to trip over his own hooves when his ophidite superiors asked him to do something. He was starting to show some wear, however.

"I wasn't asking a question," Hashymissa said. She fingered the whip attached to her harness. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"Certainly not, mistress," Wild-eyed replied. "It's exactly as you say."

'This one is good,' Hashymissa thought. "If that's the case then why hold back? You might go crazy during the wait."

As expected, Wild-eyed's face lit up though he kept his voice cautious and respectful. "But…but what about…well…possible consequences?" he asked.

"We can always purge her once we get to Ophidus. Go on, relieve yourself. I'm responsible for this mission's morale after all."

"A-are you sure, mistress?"

Hashymissa's hand moved to the barbed whip again. In the blink of an eye, its tip lashed at Wild-eyed's shoulder, drawing a trickle of blood. He grunted and fell to his knees while the other pegasi tensed. The whip was already coiled and back in its place before anyone could follow it. "Don't second-guess me, pony!" she hissed.

"A thousand pardons, mistress," Wild-eyed said. He did not even dare to nurse his injury under her scrutiny.

"Take her outside," Hashymissa said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "There's a niche of rocks nearby that's hidden by bushes. Do it there and out of my sight. You know that the sight of you ponies at it is enough to ruin my meals."

Despite his wound, Wild-eyed eagerly grabbed hold of the chain attached to the coatl pony's collar and gave it a tug. Still dazed by a recent dose of Fool's Cap, she stupidly stared at Hashymissa, who nodded her towards Wild-eyed.

"Does anyone else want a turn?" Hashymissa asked the remaining seven in the cave. Two of them stood up while the rest went back to what they were doing. She took note of the faces of those who stood.

A minute had passed when then the coatl pony suddenly dashed back into the cave. She was breathing hard and her eyes were wide with panic. Blood had spattered on her back and wings. The other ponies quickly grew alarmed, but Hashymissa merely turned towards the two who had stood up earlier. "Drag Wild-eyed in here," she told them. It was past lunch time and she had a hunger for some fresh meat.

The two were soon dragging in the lifeless body of Wild-eyed. A lone arrow had buried itself into the back of his head with its point poking out between his eyes.

"They've found us!" one of the pegasi exclaimed.

"That's not a Legion bolt," Hashymissa replied. "It's from the same weapon that brought down our prizes to begin with." She looked towards the two from earlier. "Do you want your turns now?" Both ponies shrank back and went to their own parts of the cave. She looked to the coatl pony. "Back to your corner."

The coatl pony did as she was told and lay her head down by a corner of the cave. None of the ponies around her gave her so much as a glance this time. Hashymissa would have chuckled if she wasn't all too aware of what her demonstration entailed. Hassyth didn't care for who Black Rose was beyond a useful ally who pointed him towards his lost property, but his vipren steward was more diligent.

_"The garden where the black rose blooms is guarded by a watchful moon, a thousand-stinged wasp, a stone-tusked boar, a trickster lion, a blood-soaked nightingale, and the arrow from nowhere."_

Hashysmissa's ancestors were fond of mixing lyricism with their records, but it was easy to glean the truth with a little research. In Ophidus's long history with Equestria there has been only one period of time which a "Black Rose" was mentioned, and it was one of the darkest periods Ophidus had ever gone through. It could all be just a coincidence. She believed it to be so until she saw the distance Longstride could hit his targets with precision. "Arrow from nowhere" indeed. It could still be a coincidence, but Hashymissa was taking no chances. For fifteen generations, her family had served Hassyth's. She was loathe to be the one to break the chain, but loyalty to the empire must come first. If she had to, she would kill this coatl pony rather than serve the machinations of the true Black Rose.

* * *

><p>When the mint-green pegasus started dragging her outside the cave, the coatl pony was barely aware of what was happening. The world was a fogged up place of dulled sounds, muted colors, and pleasant feelings. She had looked to the mistress, thinking that the snake wanted her to do something. If it meant more of this sensation and none of the stinging pain of punishment, she would do anything.<p>

Once outside, things took a strange and horrible turn. The mint green pegasus shoved her against the stone face of the gorge, just by some bushes. When he grabbed her tail, a rising panic beat back the euphoria. She was just about to struggle when the arrow struck.

Hot liquid spattered across the coatl pony's back and wings as the stallion fell over. At the sight of the arrow, her mind exploded with sudden, familiar sensations and memories: the feeling of cold snow under her hooves, somepony's blood spattering on her body, the snarl of a monstrous creature, ponies being struck by bolts and, most of all, a crushing sense of failure that gripped her heart tightly. The images cut through the haze of euphoria as easily as sunlight cut through morning fog.

The cave's darkness offered no comfort when she rushed back in. The mistress merely ushered her over to a corner, then ordered the other pegasi about. The coatl pony huddled by herself, desperate for some more Fool's Cap, but all the mistress tossed her way was a rag to clean herself up. The coatl pony did her best to reach all the difficult spots, straining her neck at some points. The blood was seep into her coat and tainting her insides. She had to get it all off.

The surge of unwelcome thoughts worsened at the sight of the crimson rag. Hot blood splattering across her face, cold snow pelting her back…what did it mean? She looked around the cave, trying to find something to focus her thoughts on. Her eyes locked on to the red pegasus they kept tied up by a far corner of the cave. He squirmed in place, his green eyes wild and frenzied. They had gagged him so his jaws worked relentlessly against the ropes and cloth they had stuffed between them. How long had he been like that? Days? He seethed with so much rage that it seemed to rise from him like steam. He caught her staring and she looked away on impulse.

'Why?' she thought. 'Why am I thinking all these things?' She clutched at her head, pressing her hooves against her skull to try and squeeze out all the garbled thoughts, the unwanted images and, most of all, the constant feeling of failure. What had she failed at? She had done everything the mistress asked! She was even rewarded for behaving!

_"You still want that race?"_

_"He's nowhere near a pegasus like you, right? You're fast, you've got your Sonic Rainboom and, most importantly, you mean what you say."_

She pictured that same red pony saying those words. They made no sense no matter how confident and reassuring they tried to be. In fact, the red pony's face was accompanied by feelings of fear and pressure. He was smiling, but there was nothing to smile about within those eyes. That smile weighed down on her more than when the mistress rode on her or when the other pegasi pulled on her collar. Sonic Rainboom? What was that? She didn't have anything. She was just a lowly slave.

_"Rainbow, has Scarlet Rabbit…challenged you to a race?"_

The red pony's image faded and the sight of a white unicorn's concerned face replaced it. There was that word again; "Rainbow". Wait…was that her? Unlike the previous face, this one resonated much stronger. The images flowed swiftly, a white unicorn with a neatly styled purple mane…whirling blades, a rainbow-colored dress, butterfly wings, and excessive make-up…

'Rainbow…' The coatl pony "tasted" the word. Was that her name? It sounded like a name coming from the white unicorn.

_"I think it's wonderful that you're staying here again, Rainbow Dash."_

Rainbow Dash…yes. That hit the nail on the head. That was her name, not "coatl pony" like what the mistress kept using. She held on to that name as if it were a piece of driftwood in the sea of her muddled thoughts. Who was this white unicorn? Rainbow felt something different with her image; comfort instead of uncertainty.

_"Rainbow! You're hurt! What happened?"_

_"Let's have a sending off party! It'll be fun! We can mix it with our victory celebration!"_

Two different ponies entered the picture. A pink-maned yellow pegasus and a pink earth pony. They contrasted starkly with each other, one a picture of worry and the other joyous and carefree. Both gladdened her for some reason. She felt as if she'd been ignoring these two. What had she been doing before the mistress captured her? Where were these ponies and why was she not with them?

_"How about we pledge to protect this 'new' Ponyville?"_

The purple unicorn that just appeared hit another chord. To protect…that was what she was doing. Or…at least that was what she was trying to do. Was that why this crushing sense of failure won't go away? Had she failed to protect something or somepony? The sight of blood filled her mind again. Blood and snow…why was it blood and snow?

_"What are you waiting for? Fly!"_

There was another pony, an orange earth pony mare in plate and chain barding, standing alone in a field of snow and holding back the jaws of gigantic wolf-like creature. A massive swipe and Rainbow's vision filled with blood. This was it. This was where the sense of failure came from. Rainbow pressed her face against the cold stony ground. Maybe that was why she was here. Maybe this was punishment all along. She shouldn't have tried so hard to remember if this was the truth. She looked at the mistress in a different light; punishment.

_"Rainbow!"_

It was the same earth pony as before, standing on the street while Rainbow looked on from above. No condemnation showed on the earth pony's face, just a genuine sense of acceptance.

_"Stay with us tonight!"_

The words struck Rainbow hard, harder than all the others. The confusion shattered at the blow. No, this wasn't punishment. Nopony inflicted this on her for any reason. Not Applejack, not Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie. She saw things clearly now. She had stupidly taken on Scarlet's offer to race, then flew over to the edge of Canterlot, where both of them got easily taken down and captured. She stared at the snake-monster that had captured her. This thing was no executioner. It was just some cowardly reptile taking advantage of a bad decision. She tensed, ready to charge into the snake and fight her way out.

'No!' The haze of confusion had made it so hard to think that being able to was like being able to breathe after almost drowning. She was weak from carrying this snake all night. If she charged, she would easily be repulsed and subdued. Even if she did make it out, there was still the sniper that had captured her in the first place and killed the pegasus stallion earlier.

"What are you looking at, coatl pony?" the snake monster asked. "Do you need something?"

Rainbow Dash looked meekly away. She had broken through their hold, but they shouldn't know that. If they saw that their poison wasn't working, they'd double the dose. Better to pretend that she was just some meek little slave and look for a way to escape. If she insisted on being fierce and uncooperative, they'd tie her up like Scarlet or use more of those poisons. She had to brace herself when they used more of that stuff that caused her to forget what had happened in the first place. She was not going to be led around anymore.

Night eventually settled on Equestria and everyone was on the move again. To Rainbow's fury, the snake monster coiled its tail around her torso and rode on her again. Its scales chafed against her wings and its oppressive weight bore down her back. Her still-bandaged flank ached with each step.

"Put some spring into those hooves, coatl pony, I intend to get us to the edges of this Heartland before sunrise," the snake monster hissed.

Rainbow grit her teeth and nodded. The moonlight was bright enough to let her see her surroundings. At once, she saw an opportunity. It seemed that she had been acting so meek and obedient when they had her muddled up that they didn't pay a great deal of attention to her now. Her rider was more concerned with the where they were going while the other pegasi were distracted with either trying to keep up or searching the distance. They must be trying to catch a glimpse of the sniper. Out here in the open, they were all sitting ducks.

'So you like my mane and tail so much, huh?' Rainbow thought. She remembered the humiliating "inspection". When no one was looking, she pulled out several strands from her tail. 'Let's see how pretty you think they are when they lead my friends right to you!' She scattered the hairs around some bushes she was passing through. All throughout the night she was going to do this, even if she had to pluck her tail bald.

* * *

><p>From his spot, Longstride watched Rainbow Dash with renewed interest. He had been wrong about this mare. She hadn't died in the first few hours. Things were also not going as badly as he expected them to be. During the last few days, Rainbow Dash had been behaving exactly as he believed she would: as a shameless pony slave without a thought in her head. Ophidite drugs were potent substances, even for hardened legionnaires from the south, let alone for an unexposed chosen mare. Still, Longstride wrinkled his nose at how easy it was for Hashymissa to control who was supposed to be the bearer of the Element of Loyalty. On the third day, he was on the verge of just shooting her and reporting her failure to Black Rose when something strange happened.<p>

One of the slaves led her out of their hiding place for some worthless reason or another. It should have been inconsequential. He should have just let it happen and observed how she handled it. If she was strong, she would survive, if she was weak, she should die. That was why he devised this method to begin with.

But Longstride hadn't just observed. The next thing he realized, the arrow was already leaving his bow. The stallion slave was dead in an instant and he was berating himself severely. He had provided his assignment with undeserved help, all but compromising the result of this test. It couldn't be helped now. There was no going back on this mission. He hoped that his mistress wouldn't be too displeased with his botching that part.

However, the result had given him pause. He saw the gleam of recognition in Rainbow Dash's eyes when she saw his arrow strike. He had triggered something and that was when he knew that his failure was serious.

_"Longstride,"_

Longstride stiffened when Black Rose's voice came from his collar. "Yes, mistress," he replied, his tone neutral.

"I felt a flash from the Element of Loyalty. Has something happened to Rainbow Dash?"

Longstride's lips twisted. "Yes," he answered. "It is difficult to tell exactly what, mistress, but something has been triggered."

Black Rose's voice took on a pleased note. "Isn't it wonderful?" she asked. "The pony you had so little faith in is the first to show some mettle! Don't you just love it when expectations are shattered?"

Longstride frowned, but said nothing. It was true that his expectations were shattered, but that was easy when he expected nothing. Half a minute of silence passed before Black Rose spoke again.

_"What's wrong, Longstride? You should be happy. You can boast to the other thorns that your test proved most effective."_

"Loyalty is the virtue even dogs excel in," Longstride replied. "But you're right, mistress. I am glad to know that one of the key figures in saving Equestria is, at least, on the same level as a dog."

_"Our favorite rainbow pony is finally growing on you,"_ Black Rose said. _"Once she returns to her friends, you ought to apologize to her for shooting her cutie mark."_

"As you wish, mistress."

_"I assure you that, when that time comes, it won't be my wish that will motivate you. Keep up the good work, Longstride."_

Longstride's collar device fell silent. He let out a long, controlled exhale as Rainbow Dash's captors made their way out of Ghastly Gorge. He didn't see the reason for apologizing, whether it was for shooting Rainbow Dash's cutie mark with a poisoned arrow, or forcing her to endure a small taste of what Ophidite captivity was like.

This was to be expected. For all his enhanced vision, he failed to see many things that his mistress did. He doubted that the rest of his fellow thorns did either. Sablesteel certainly wasn't shy about expressing her doubts. Lion Court may prance and posture, but he was just in the dark as any of them. As for the new recruit…she was no proper thorn until she completed her first mission.

Longstride silently glided to the next perch as Rainbow Dash moved farther away. It was a difficult balance of distancing that he had to accomplish as he was also keeping track of another group of ponies. A couple of Special Operations squads had gone in the right direction and were moving dangerously close to Rainbow Dash's captors. He had considered eliminating them, but decided against it. They were the means by which Rainbow Dash might actually survive this test.

'Interesting, it almost seems as if I want to see her succeed.'

Longstride shook his head. No, that was asking for too much. A single "flash" from the Element of Loyalty did not mean much. It was a hopeful sign that Black Rose eagerly gambled with. That his mistress had always succeeded with her gambles should not be considered. There was a first time for everything, especially when one tempted fate.


	32. Families and Friends

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 32: Families and Friends**

When Rarity first didn't appear for work a couple of days ago, Hammer Chain had assumed that she decided she'd rather be out shopping with her friends instead of practicing her new-found craft. Disappointing, but understandable. It was only much later did news reach him that his apprentice had gotten into some kind of fight in a restaurant and had been taken to the hospital. He hadn't pegged her as the sort to get into a barroom brawl or whatever they called fights in a restaurant. She had too much of an elegant air about her. He had her figured for the sort who'd lay down a challenge ahead of time and turn the whole thing into a formal spectacle. He wasn't too worried though, especially after his last visit.

_Hammer Chain closed the door behind him. "You look awful, Rarity. I hope the other pony looks worse. Please tell me you sliced off a limb at least."_

_Rarity pouted. "Normally, I'd be offended by somepony telling me I look awful, but I suppose I deserve it this time." A look of embarrassment followed that pout. "Unfortunately, my opponent escaped with all his limbs intact. I didn't leave him completely unmarked though."_

_"There'll be other chances." Hammer Chain took a seat next to his apprentice. "So who was this pony you fought with?"_

_"His name is Lion Court."_

Hammer Chain snorted as he walked past Canterlot General Hospital's front doors. "Didn't leave him unmarked" his apprentice said. She wasn't lacking for confidence that one. But wasn't that a terrible coincidence? He gave Rarity a book on mage-blade fighting by Lion Court a while ago and the actual Lion Court showed up to fight her. When he arrived at Rarity's room, his apprentice was nowhere in sight. All he found was Fluttershy tidying up the place.

"Oh hello, Mister Hammer Chain," Fluttershy said. "Are you looking for Rarity? She went to the exercise yard to practice with those blades of hers."

"You sure she's fit enough for that?" Hammer Chain asked. "Last thing I need is my apprentice splitting her wounds open and gushing blood all over your exercise yard."

The image he conjured made Fluttershy balk for a moment before shaking her head. "N-no, she's fine," she said.

"Fluttershy!" somepony shouted from behind Hammer Chain. "Leave the tidying to maintenance and get to your break! Terrato grind me, filly! Do I have to order you to take a rest?"

"I will! I…um…I need to check on somepony!"

Hammer Chain smiled and followed his old friend. The chosen hospital staff tripped all over themselves to get out of Redbrand's way. "So how many ponies have you mangled in this chosen hospital, Redbrand?" he asked.

"There'd be a lot less if I didn't have to work with these butter knives you keep passing off to me as scalpels, Hammer Chain!" Redbrand groused. "Come on! Or are you just here to see your prissy apprentice? From the looks of her, you haven't even bothered to teach her which end of the knife goes where!"

The two of them settled down on Redbrand's new office. Canterlot's medical ponies had tried to give Redbrand and the other Barrier Lands ponies a warm welcome. The plush office must have belonged to a high-ranking pony, or was built specifically to make sure that the hospital didn't offend. The floor and walls were fine hardwood, the desk and chairs were well-crafted, and the shelves were lined with various medical books for reference. There was even a small, white fridge by one corner of the room. Most of the amenities looked untouched. Hammer Chain wondered if Redbrand had even bothered to spend time in this room, which was easily twenty times better than his office in FangBreaker.

Redbrand took out a bottle from the fridge as well as a couple of glasses. Hammer Chain took one glance at the liquid as Redbrand poured it and frowned. "That's not brandy I see," he said.

"Good eye," Redbrand muttered. "At least you haven't roasted your eyeballs in that oven you work in."

Hammer Chain snorted when he took a sip of the golden liquid. Light Beer. If this stuff was any weaker, he may as well put a teat on the bottle. He had a fairly good idea why Redbrand was using this stuff for anything besides gargling in the morning. "That yellow filly has you whipped, Redbrand," he said. "I haven't seen this since you and Floral could stand being in the same city."

"I don't want to hear my nag wife's name." Redbrand drained his first glass with a single long pull. "Damn it, now you've reminded me!"

Hammer Chain's eyes narrowed with concern. "Reminded you of what?" he asked. "Has something happened?"

"Got another letter a few days ago," Redbrand replied morosely. "She says the riots over at Glacierfall are getting worse. She wants to move to Canterlot."

"Why Canterlot?" Hammer Chain asked. Glacierfall was a small town close to the border between the Northern and Western Barrier Land. He hadn't even heard of any news of a riot from that place. "Does she want to pretend to be a noble and bleed you drier?"

"Shut your horse mouth."

"Fine, fine." Hammer Chain hoped that Redbrand's colt would make the trip too. Summer Squall's presence would definitely help. "How are you doing in this new post then?"

"Horrible," Redbrand said. "Everything's too sweet. I swear even the tap water has sugar in it. The chosen act like lunatics if they get so much as a glass of booze down, so half our patients are from the ones acting like idiots. And why is it so prince-damned warm here? It's winter! I'll melt if summer catches me in this flowerpot of a city!"

Hammer Chain chuckled. "It's not so bad." He decided to focus on a bright spot to take away the irritable gloom Floral always brought on Redbrand. "You can grumble all you want, truth be told you're looking better than you've ever been for years. I wonder why that is?" Hammer Chain didn't need to stretch the truth. There was a brightness and clarity in Redbrand's eyes that he had not seen since Shimmer Wing died all those years ago. There was also a little more vigor in his steps.

"You're looking too hard, Hammer Chain," Redbrand replied. "Maybe your eyes are better off being roasted in a forge fire."

Hammer Chain drained his glass, frowning when not even the slightest hint of a buzz occurred. "You may as well have served me water," he muttered.

"I just might," Redbrand replied. "These damn drunks are going to force drastic measures."

"Don't even joke about it." Hammer Chain headed for the door. "Well, I'd better not disturb Rarity while she practices with her mage-blades. I'll see you around!"

Redbrand merely nodded and poured himself another glass as Hammer Chain left.

* * *

><p>Redbrand had downed his third glass when a knock on his door forced him to put away the bottle. "Come in!" he called out. The door opened a crack so a single green eye and a long lock of pink hair could peer through.<p>

"Excuse me, Doctor Redbrand…"

"I told you to take that break, Fluttershy,"

"Well, I was…I mean I was going to after making sure Rarity wasn't gushing…I mean, they just brought in an injured legionnaire who refuses to let the other staff take care of him. He keeps saying he wants a Barrier Lands pony to treat him and…well…the other Barrier Lands ponies are taking their breaks so I-!"

"He's going to get a hoof upside his foal head!" Redbrand growled. "How's that for Barrier Lands treatment?"

"Please be gentle," Fluttershy squeaked. "He broke a foreleg stopping a brawl."

Redbrand flung the door open, nearly causing Fluttershy to fall face first to the ground. He was about to leave when he paused and looked back at her. The crippled legionnaire who thought he was too good for chosen doctors could wait. "What's with the gloomy face?" he asked. "Something else wrong?"

"Well…um…no, not really…it's just…"

Redbrand waited, his eyebrows slowly inching closer to each other with each passing second. Finally, Fluttershy managed to drag herself out of the muck of um's and well's she often fell into.

"I've been trying to get in touch with my other friends: Rarity's busy training, Pinkie Pie's busy learning from this strange earth pony." Fluttershy cast her gaze downwards. "Applejack and Twilight are off somewhere with Vanguard and they wouldn't tell me when I asked."

"They're Special Operations now, filly," Redbrand said. "That means they'll be doing a lot of things they don't need or want you to know. Get used to it."

"But we're friends!"

"Especially because you're friends." Redbrand pretended to scratch his head, but that was only to keep his hooves busy and away from patting Fluttershy in comfort. "Don't take it personally. They're not doing it to spite you."

"I wish I could do something for them," Fluttershy said. "I don't want to just wait here until they come back hurt and almost dying. First Applejack, now Rarity…and I know Rainbow's in some kind of trouble, even if they won't say anything."

Redbrand snorted. "And you think you're going to be lucky and stay by the sidelines?" he asked. "I don't know what the whole business with these 'Elements of Harmony' is, Fluttershy, but you're kidding yourself if you think you'll be spared whatever's happening to your friends. Like you said, even your insane, pink friend's up to something. You'll get your turn. I don't know what that turn's going to be, but you'll get it. You should be glad you can take small breaks for now, so go take them."

Fluttershy nodded, then looked out a nearby window. Redbrand followed her gaze for a moment. Somewhere south of here, Vanguard Clash's new squad was up to something. He didn't know what, but he wished them luck, if only so Fluttershy wouldn't be so distraught on their return.

* * *

><p>Vanguard and his squad finally caught sight of their quarry at Macintosh Hills. The search for Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit had been a confused tangle of conflicting reports until, of all ponies, Rarity pointed them in the right direction. The pattern wasn't lost on Vanguard. This was the second time that Rarity, who was barely able to keep up during the march from FangBreaker, had proven vital in fighting Equestria's enemies. South of Canterlot was still a broad stretch of territory to cover, but knowing that they were captured by ophidites and were secretly being brought the empire narrowed things down.<p>

It was easy to assume that the group would choose to cross Macintosh Hills rather than reveal themselves in Appleloosa or brave the Palomino Desert. Few trees dotted the hard, snow-covered ground, but the rolling terrain and the outcroppings of rock provided places to hide from patrols. They had more than just a general direction as well. A day ago, Bad Arc's squad discovered strands of Rainbow Dash's hair along a trail in Ghastly Gorge. More trailblazers quickly followed. They covered a lot of ground faster than a group of slaves and two prisoners. Now, they were about to end this chase.

Their targets had found an outcropping of rocks under the shadow of a large hill. The group was composed of indoctrinated pegasi. They were hunkered down and wary, but fatigue left them distracted. Vanguard couldn't see the ophidite leader or the captives from his vantage point. Behind him, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack looked ready to explode. Bad Arc's squad had circled around to make sure no one escaped. "We'll take out that sentry first. He pointed towards one pegasus who was farther away from his fellows. He noticed Twilight's horn glow, but he waved his hoof to stop her. "No flash for now." He looked to his vice captain. "Applejack, yank him over here. Break his neck before he can call his friends."

Applejack nodded and swung her lasso. The looped end flew and the links stretched with magical force. The beige pegasus noticed his new silver necklace but, before he could say anything, Applejack gave her chain a hard tug. Even from a distance, Vanguard noticed the neck snap before the body flew towards them so fast that he fell to the ground to avoid being smacked in the face. The corpse crashed behind them, but none of the pegasi seemed to have heard anything.

Minutes passed before the pegasus's absence was noticed. More pegasi gathered around the spot where the -now dead- guard should be, allowing Vanguard to properly gauge the enemy's strength. Six pegasi were in sight. Two of them hung back while others ventured cautiously to check on where their comrade. A lone vipren sheltered in the deepest part of the hill's shadow started hissing orders. Rainbow Dash as there as well, but there was still no sign of Scarlet. This was likely the whole group. They wouldn't have attempted to infiltrate Equestria with anything larger. When four of the pegasi stood closely enough together, he glanced over to Twilight. "Take them out, unicorn mage."

A great surge of blue-white lightning burst from Twilight Sparkle's horn. The bolt crashed into the nearest pegasus, consuming him greedily as if it was a living, starving creature, and leaving only charred remains in its passing. It jumped towards the next pegasus before he could scream and devoured him as well. The other two started to run, but only got a half step before the bolt finished them off. By the time Twilight's spell fizzled, four corpses lay twitching on the ground.

Vanguard had not even waited for the spell to strike when he charged with his two-bladed sword in his mouth. When the spell was done, he was already upon the remaining two pegasi. His first swing cut open the first one's neck, spraying blood on the snow. The second one reared up and Vanguard brought the other end low, stabbing deep into the pegasus's belly.

The vipren hissed loudly at the sudden carnage. It was about to turn and flee when Rainbow suddenly gave a loud cry and knocked it down, pinning it in place. Bad Arc's squad raced in. By the time they made it to the place, the fight was over. Twilight pulled Rainbow away and steadied her while Applejack had her chain wrapped around the vipren.

Bad Arc looked at the charred corpses and let out a snort. "Nice work, Purple Pyre," he told Twilight.

Twilight's eyes widened. "My name is Twilight Sparkle, not Purple Pyre!"

Bad Arc didn't seem to hear her as he went over to the ophidite. "Make it easy for us, vipren," he said. "What's the empire's business this deep in Equestria?"

The vipren merely hissed again. Vanguard had expected that. He was more concerned about his other squad mate. They found Scarlet gagged and tied to a pole. Applejack and Twilight tried to free him, but he struggled violently against his bounds, making things difficult.

"Calm down, Scarlet!" Twilight said. She ran out of patience and cut through the ropes with magic. In an instant, Scarlet had already pinned the vipren to the ground. Both Applejack and Twilight could only stare at the empty space where he was half a second ago, then look to where he was in shock.

"Where is he?" Scarlet shouted at the vipren as soon as he could tear away his gag . "Where's Hassyth?"

Vanguard moved and tried to pull Scarlet away. To his surprise, Scarlet wouldn't budge. Scarlet's eyes bulged from his head and he breathed in deep, ragged gasps.

"Where else, Scarlet Rabbit?" the vipren said. "He's to the south, waiting for his prize racer back in Ophidus!"

Things quickly made sense to Vanguard. "Scarlet, Hassyth is not a priority right now, settle down!" he said.

"They said he was dead!" Scarlet shouted. "I'll kill him!"

"Stop him!" Vanguard shouted to the others. He jumped after Scarlet, as did Applejack and Twilight. Even Bad Arc made the jump. They almost crashed into each other and Scarlet was already gone. Vanguard turned around just in time to see a red dot quickly receding into the horizon. "Damn!"

"I'll get him!" Rainbow said.

"Rainbow, no!" Applejack said. "Just let him go! Did you see the look on his face? That pony's gone plumb crazy!"

"I can't just leave him behind now!" Rainbow flew off before anypony could stop her.

"Bad Arc!" Vanguard called.

"Don't look at me, Clash," Bad Arc replied. "Didn't you see how fast they just went? There's no catching up to them."

Vanguard gestured for Applejack and Twilight to follow and made his way southwards. He was going to catch up eventually, even if it was only to pick up those two idiots wherever they inevitably crashed.

* * *

><p>Rainbow beat her wings as hard as she could. She didn't even want to think about being tired. She had to catch Scarlet. If she didn't, he'd probably fly all the way to where the rest of these snake monsters were and end up dead. She was about to shout his name, but changed her mind. She was going to need every scrap of breath she could get into her lungs. No sense in wasting some in a futile attempt to get his attention.<p>

'Please, Celestia, Luna, Terrato, whoever in the Eternal Herd is in charge of flying, let me catch up to him! Please!'

Rainbow flapped harder until the strain slowly burned through her wings. She couldn't even see Scarlet. It was all she could do to keep from giving up. She was simply flying in the same direction. He could be miles away and impossible to catch up to. Just how fast was he flying? Just a few seconds ago, he was moving as if he was teleporting and he had spent days struggling against his bonds. How much strength could he still have in him?

'The truth is, you've been a pretty awful friend, Scarlet," Rainbow thought. 'I've been through one mess after another because of you.' Still, she also understood something else. As badly as she ended up following Scarlet, he had willingly extended a hoof in friendship when she was in a strange and violent land. She had taken it gladly and did share some good times with him. 'I'm not leaving you behind anyway!'

She was approaching the speed that would trigger a Sonic Rainboom. Sure enough, there was a powerful explosion of colors and the word turned into a blur. Still, there was no sign of Scarlet. Not even the trail of red he left behind when he flew. The dismay nearly crushed her heart. Was he just too fast for her? What would have happened in that race? Would she have been eating his dust at the get go?

'No! Forget the race! This is more important than any race! More important than being the fastest! I can't lose!'

Another couple of dismal minutes passed. Rainbow searched desperately for any sign: a speck of red, a loose feather still drifting in mid-air. Anything. She was going to tire and slow down at some point, but the burn was still nothing but a dull ache at the back of her mind. Instead of slowing down, however, she seemed to be going faster. Something strange was going on. Days of being ridden and being ordered about should have sapped her strength, but she was flying at dizzying speeds with no problems. In fact, she felt invigorated, ready to keep this up for hours if she had to. She looked down on her hooves. Was that a faint, light blue shimmer surrounding her? What was that about? Maybe she was just imagining things.

Finally, she spotted something: a red speck against a blue sky. Rainbow felt another burst of renewed energy. She didn't know if she was flying so fast that she caught up to him despite the head start, or if he had simply started to tire, but she didn't care. Her heart was racing and he was coming closer with each beat.

Then, she was on him. Rainbow dove in from above and grabbed hold of Scarlet, dragging him from the sky. He let out a roar of rage and frustration and looked to see who would dare grab him. Upon seeing her, a flash of recognition lit his face. "Let go!" he snarled.

"No! You have to stop this, Scarlet!"

"Hassyth's over there! I have to kill him! I have to!"

"No, you don't!" It didn't take much for Rainbow to piece together the clues. "He's not your master now! Why should he decide what you have to do? Don't be a slave! You know what's more important!"

Scarlet's breathing grew even more ragged. He struggled to peel Rainbow off him, but she held on for dear life. A minute passed and he screamed at the top of his lungs. With that, he let Rainbow drag him down. They tumbled against the ground before crashing against a large tree.

The two of them lay there for a long time, gulping in air as if they had almost drowned. Eventually, Rainbow let go of Scarlet and got up. She cast aside any feeling of joy over being able to catch up. Now, there was the problem of getting back. The ground was moist and covered in bushes, not snow. They were surrounded by vines and trees. The sounds of insects and birds filled the air. "Where are we?" she asked.

Scarlet sat up. He was still panting when he looked around. "Dunno," he said. His voice was husky and almost gone from all the screaming. "Maybe just between the Heartland and the Southern Barrier Land. Maybe all the way to the Southern Barrier Land."

Rainbow scraped the mud off her hooves and coat. They had to get back. She hoped that they had been flying in a perfectly straight line. Then, it dawned on her. The sniper. The sniper was still out there. It was a miracle that neither of them got shot on the way here. Was the sniper still watching them? They had flown so fast and so far it seemed impossible. But what if he was there? What if, the moment she flew past the trees to have a good look, she'd have another arrow stuck into her flank? What if they really were in the Southern Barrier Land where more ophidites awaited? She balled all her fears in a lump and swallowed. There was no sense in just waiting and worrying.

"Well, let's go," she said.

The two of them began to walk.


	33. Beloved

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 33: Beloved**

Heavenly Basin. This was supposed to be a forgotten corner of Equestia for Terrato. A grave for some lifetime he wanted to leave behind. Yet, here he was coming back to it like a lovesick foal. The still air and the permanent twilight were suffocating. Memories of times when he happily came to this place, often unannounced, dug at old wounds. That must be why Black Rose insisted on meeting him here. She knew this place unbalanced him. She was banking on him being disturbed enough to be vulnerable.

The ruins hadn't changed. He doubted even a speck of dust had been moved since he last came here. The water around them was mirror-smooth and the night sky above was bereft of clouds and stars alike.

And there she was, standing at the center of where her tower used to be. Silhouetted by moonlight, her coat gleaming in the silvery illumination, Black Rose looked every inch an alicorn princess. She wore a black, long-tailed coat with a gold trim and the Legion's emblem proudly emblazoned across the left-side of her chest. She was wearing the uniform of the Legion's High Commander, a rank he had created just for her. Her crimson mane spilled across her neck and past her shoulders, the locks curling at the tips. As she walked closer, Terrato caught the faint scent of mountain wildflowers.

'I come here for answers, she comes dressed for a party.' Unlike his sisters, Terrato had never been one to appreciate dressing up. When a celebration came up, he looked forward to the food, the booze, the music, and the lively conversation. He didn't give a crap about what kind of dresses the mares were wearing. He especially didn't appreciate dressing up when there wasn't an occasion. 'She looks so lovely.' Terrato frowned at the unbidden thought.

"I am so glad you decided to come, beloved," Black Rose said.

"You offered some interesting things to get me here, Black Rose," Terrato replied. "If you deliver even half of those, I'll be glad I came as well."

Black Rose's steps were tentative, but deliberate. As the distance between them shortened, Terrato focused as he would with an enemy's approach. He raised himself high without lifting his legs, hooves ready to strike and spells at the fore. Black Rose stopped just several feet away, a hint of disappointment crossing her face. "Where do you want me to start?" she asked.

Terrato would have insisted on learning Rainbow Dash's fate. but that was two days ago and information had been retrieved about her situation. That left one pony looming across his horizon. "Gravitas," he said. "What do you know about his movements?"

"You overestimate me, beloved, my network does not extend to the Eternal Herd."

"Neither does mine," Terrato said. It was true. He knew a lot of alicorns in the Eternal Herd, but few would readily socialize with a rebellious prince. Gladio was willing enough and Magnus had always been ready to share information with those who asked, but that was the extent of it. "But you mentioned him. What is he up to?"

"He will be coming here soon," Black Rose replied.

Terrato's eyes widened. General Gravitas, hero of the battle for Elys, hero of the First Strike, the alicorn who vanquished four of Oceanus's six handmaidens, and easily one of the Eternal Herd's greatest warriors. Gravitas was coming here. A long, long time ago, that alicorn was his hero. Celestia gushed over Lexarius's oratorical prowess, especially when the issue of mortal ponies came up, but he read and re-read each account of Gravitas's exploits. He shook his head. The time of hero-worship had long since gone. This was also Gravitas, the alicorn who wanted nothing short of complete extermination for all mortal ponies, the alicorn Celestia detested and spoke against over and over when Lexarius was no longer around. "How can you be so sure?" he asked. "He hasn't been appointed to do anything in this world and protests will emerge if he crosses without permission."

"A thousand years ago, that may have held him back," Black Rose replied. Her characteristic serene smile slipped. "He is growing impatient. My plans have left him a great opportunity to seize control of Equestria's fate, but his window is quickly closing. I cannot imagine him and his allies waiting until Celestia recovers her strength and Equestria stabilizes."

"How did you come across this information?"

"Simple. From Gravitas himself. I must start with the beginning or this explanation will be a very slow move from one dramatic revelation to the next. Please indulge me, beloved, I know how you hate theatrics."

"I'll listen," Terrato replied.

"Thank you," Black Rose said. "Did you ever wonder how I was able to perform the Ascendancy Ritual you created for me despite having destroyed most of it?"

"No," Terrato replied. "You had done the impossible yet again. At that point, the only thing that I wondered about was my incessant underestimation of you."

"I'm flattered, but I didn't accomplish the task on my own. Gravitas has been doing more than speaking out against mortal ponies. He found out about your research in the Eternal Herd's library and he contacted me while I was piecing together the Ascendancy Ritual."

Black Rose brushed a stray lock of her mane from her face. Terrato recognized the slight hint of embarrassment. His "faithful student" prided herself for being subtle. Being caught by Gravitas would have been a humbling experience for her.

"I had expected him to disrupt my work and alert you so I can be punished," Black Rose went on. "Imagine my surprise when he offered to fill in the missing pieces for a price."

Terrato didn't have to. The surprise that struck him at the moment more than gave him an accurate estimation of what Black Rose must have felt. It didn't make sense. Finding out that a mortal was trying to become an alicorn would have offended Gravitas greatly. Why would he choose to help Black Rose? Unless…

"Gravitas offered a completed Ascendancy Ritual." Black Rose smirked as she went on. "At least his very convenient version of it; slay an alicorn and absorb her power. Yes, he said "her" and he certainly offered no ideas on how to reach the moon."

"Obviously to further his own agenda," Terrato said. He fought to quell his anger at the mere thought of Gravitas wanting to harm his sister. "If Celestia was censured by a mortal, it would only prove his point that all of Oceanus's children are too dangerous to spare."

"And I told him just that," Black Rose replied. "To his credit, Gravitas did not take me for a foal by trying to pretend otherwise. He told me that this was a necessity especially with the Ninth Rebellion closing. He even promised to cover up my part in the deed and personally welcome me to the Eternal Herd as an alicorn." Black Rose smiled. "He was very solemn about it too. Almost believable."

Terrato could only agree. Gravitas would never accept that a mortal could ever become an alicorn. Once the deed was done, he would have denounced Black Rose to the Eternal Herd and finished her off to hide his involvement. Finding out that Gravitas had been far more active than he or his sisters had anticipated was troubling. "Yet, you went along with his plans," he said.

"Do you honestly believe that I would work with an alicorn who wants to destroy what I've tried to protect for so long?" Black Rose asked. "Isn't it enough proof that I haven't killed Celestia?"

The tremble in her voice brought on old aches in Terrato's chest. He shoved them aside. "Where do all your recent actions fit in?"

"Gravitas will come here under the pretense of dealing with the theft of Celestia's power. I have no doubt that he will use the opportunity to execute your younger sister's previous sentence. With Celestia almost powerless, he will send you back to the Eternal Herd for causing the Sixth rebellion and taking part in the Seventh. That leaves him in full control of Equestria's fate."

Terrato remained silent. All of what Black Rose said was true, but that wasn't what concerned him the most at the moment. He was beginning to understand what his former student was planning. Black Rose had fallen silent again. Terrato waited patiently this time. This wasn't theatrics, he could tell that she was reluctant to say so much. "Beloved…let me have the Foul Weapon."

"No."

Black Rose's smile returned. "That was quick," she said. "Not even a pause for your faithful student?"

"What were you expecting?" Terrato asked. "Did you think I would even consider allowing anypony to use the weapon that hurt my father?"

"Despite its name, the Foul Weapon is ultimately a mere tool," Black Rose said. "With it, I can destroy Gravitas without his being able to retaliate. He will be censured from this world and Equestria will be spared the destruction that a battle with him will cause."

"Your brother says otherwise."

A genuine look of regret crossed Black Rose's eyes when she spoke again. "Blue Moon's intentions are misguided," she said softly.

"There's nothing misguided about wanting to protect you."

For the first time since her return, Black Rose's eyes widened with surprise. She let out a short gasp as he crossed the remaining distance between them. "Do you think I'm blind?" Terrato asked. "You think I swallowed that nonsense he was spouting about you taking over the Eternal Herd? He thinks he can spur me to urgency by making your plans seem that dire. I see right through him." His horn glowed and the first few buttons on her coat became undone. "And I see right through you."

Terrato's magic worked not merely as telekinesis. He "brushed" against the layer of illusions surrounding her tentatively, waiting for her to react. Black Rose visibly tensed, but she offered no resistance as he began to dispel the magic. His lips pressed into a grim line when the image of a lustrous black coat wavered around her chest and revealed the truth.

A web of hairline cracks, centered where her heart would be, had begun to spread across Black Rose's chest. They seeped golden light, as if she was a being of radiance barely contained by an outer layer of mortality. She looked away at his scrutiny.

"You must have known this would happen," Terrato said. "You are not meant to wield the power of sunlight. No matter how great the need and no matter how high your mastery over magic is. It will burn through you from the inside out. Return it to my sister and leave Gravitas to us."

"I will not."

"Don't be stubborn!" Terrato said. Black Rose didn't so much as flinch. He bit back the rage and lowered his voice. "You've been talking for quite a while. Why don't I finish for you?"

"Oh? This will be interesting. How much of my intentions have you read already?"

"You have two immediate goals: forcibly have Celestia's barrier down to begin reunification by stealing her power and doing it for her and to fully realize the strength of the Elements of Harmony by throwing them into danger using your Thorns."

"Those are easy enough to guess," Black Rose replied.

"Yet here comes Blue Moon, your most loyal Thorn, talking about you wanting to acquire the Foul Weapon, then taking over the Eternal Herd. That didn't make sense until Gravitas became involved. You went with his scheme so that he would come here. If you can remove him from the picture, Equestria will be safe from the Eternal Herd." Terrato paused for a moment. "Am I right so far?"

"Very close," Black Rose said. "You do understand me well after all."

"Equestria would be united and, with Gravitas gone, the Eternal Herd will be united in protecting mortals as well."

Black Rose nodded, her smile widening.

"There are two snags however," Terrato went on."Slaying Gravitas in this world will merely censure him. He'll remain a problem in the Eternal Herd. So you need for the Foul Weapon. You will also be the prime example of why mortals are dangerous and should be destroyed: a false alicorn who dared to steal the princess's power and use Oceanus's weapon. However, the fully realized Elements will rise to defeat you. They will be ultimate proof of the true potential of mortals and should serve as enough of a reason to spare Equestria."

"I could not have explained it any better," Black Rose said. "You do understand, beloved. All you need to do is to have your agents stand down, Make things easier for me and keep the Elements of Harmony in the dark."

"No."

The smile faded quickly on Black Rose's face. "Why not?"

"Blue Moon rejected your plan didn't he? That's why he came to me with wild tales of you wanting to take over the Eternal Herd. He feared that I might agree with your plan so he thought to manipulate me into stopping you."

"As I said, his intentions are misguided."

"What if the Elements fail? What if all your tests break them?"

"They will die," Black Rose's voice took on a harsh note. "They will die slowly and painfully for their incompetence. I will have to wait and be the tyrant if I have to until necessity causes the true Elements of Harmony emerge."

"I will not let you do this, Black Rose."

Black Rose's eyebrows furrowed; an extremely rare sign of frustration. "This is for Equestria's sake, beloved. The Ninth Rebellion is coming and everything must be ready."

"Then Equestria will have to be ready through some other means."

"Don't be selfish! Why would you hesitate now? You see how Equestria can be saved and how little the cost compared to it!"

"I am done fighting for an Equestria that can only be saved by grand lies and letting others die."

Black Rose raised an eyebrow. "You say that even though you threw a baby dragon into the violent heart of his kind's politics?"

It was Terrato's turn to crack a smile. "Clever Black Rose makes a mistake at last," he said. "I suppose a teacher can only be so proud for so long." His face hardened. His answer puzzled Black Rose, but she let the matter go. "Why did you even bother coming here?" Did you think you could bring me to your side by telling me parts of your plan? I am not backing away and neither are you."

The next words left Black Rose like a sigh. "I still had to try," she said. "I knew the chances were next to nothing. I still wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't make the attempt. However, that is not the main reason why I asked you to come here."

"What is?"

Black Rose's eyes softened. Terrato steeled himself. It was centuries ago when he would fairly melt if she turned that sort of gaze on him. For some damnable reason, it felt as if it was only last night. She raised a hoof and touched the base of his neck, which was really as high as she could reach without rearing up.

"With all that is happening, this will likely be the last chance I can meet you alone like this. "

Terrato answered by leaning downwards so that his snout was but an inch from Black Rose's. The smell of her breath, mixing with the faint hint of wildflowers, was intoxicating. She closed her eyes and crossed the remaining distance, pressing her soft lips against his. He kissed her back, resisting the urge to press forward and gently place her on her back.

He unleashed his magic. In the split second between the start of his spell and its completion, Black Rose opened her eyes and jumped back. Her horn flashed as she intoned her own spell. Terrato had expected the swift reaction, he also knew what the next spell would be. Black Rose was going to teleport away and he would never see her again like this. A dimensional anchor was too risky to try. As soon as he missed, it would be over. He used the area-centered dimensional lock instead. A dome of gray light exploded from his horn and quickly engulfed the entire island. Black Rose flapped her wings and made a dash towards the edges of the spell.

Terrato worked on a second spell even as he expanded the dimensional lock as far as he could. An enormous chunk of earth, shaped like an eagle's claw, burst from the ground and made a grab at Black Rose. She dodged it easily enough, but three more attacked her from different directions.

In an instant, the entire island, and the surrounding lake, had turned into a forest of claw-shaped stone pillars. Black Rose dodged and weaved through them, all the while trying to get past the limits of Terrato's dimensional lock. At one point, she unleashed the power of sunlight, shattering several pillars with a blaze of golden magic. Terrato easily replaced them.

Terrato blocked every means to leave the Heavenly Basin save for a straight ascent, then raised his stone claws to snatch Black Rose if she attempted to fly up. He held his ground as a great shaft of concentrated sunlight flew at him. The spear struck nearby in a dazzling explosion.

'Her sunlight spears are unstable,' Terrato thought. He strained to keep both his dimensional lock and his stone claws going. The entire world was a blur of blinding whiteness and the shadows of his stone claws moving. He extended his tremor sense through the claws and several feet beyond them. He couldn't see Black Rose, but the vibrations from her wings gave him a good approximation.

Another sunlight spear struck the ground. This one was near enough to be uncomfortably hot. Either Black Rose was getting serious about attacking him, or she was finding it more difficult to use her newly-acquired power. 'Yet she's relying on it exclusively,' he thought. Black Rose's pride was talking. _Don't underestimate me, I can control this power._

The stone claws had cornered Black Rose when she cast one more spell. A massive explosion of sunlight centered on herself forced Terrato to shield up. His stone claws shattered all around him. He reformed them a second later, but it was already too late. He had felt the great draft she caused as she blasted upward and out of his dimensional lock. By the time his vision cleared, she had escaped.

Terrato merely shook his head. He had expected to feel a little angrier, but it was hard to make out the jumble of emotions going through him at the moment. It had always been difficult to treat Black Rose as an enemy even when he had believed that she wanted to take on Celestia's power for its own sake. Now that he understood her intentions, it only got worse.

What hurt the most was confirming what he had been thinking about. Black Rose called him "beloved", but it was obvious that she did not trust him with Equestria's future. Indeed, she trusted nopony but herself with protecting the realm. It was her grand scheme from beginning to the end. Was that the supreme expression of the confidence that he had always admired? Or was it because she was too afraid of being disappointed by anypony anymore? His thoughts briefly turned towards a particularly annoying subject. Twilight Sparkle had seen her teacher vulnerable and fallible, yet she never wavered. He felt…envious. It was such an odd sensation. He had never envied Celestia for any reason: not her power, not her grace, not her authority. Of all the things to envy, it was Twilight Sparkle's faith.

Terrato touched his lips briefly with a hoof. Eager to forget that envy, he tried to remember the sensation of that last kiss. He would never be able to reconstruct that moment, even with all his magic. Black Rose promised that this was their last face-to-face meeting. Back then, he barely had a second thought about attacking her when he found out about her plans. The outrage had come so easily and the end results did not catch up to him until much later. He let out a sigh and looked around him. His attack had devastated the landscape of the Heavenly Basin. They broke the island into several fragments and blasted the ruins of the tower to the bottom of the lake. 'So much lost so carelessly…' he told himself. He had told his eldest sister about her half-assed plans driving the ones she loved away. Truth be told, he was worse.

There was the future to tend to. Black Rose wasn't going to stop. Her Thorns remained on the move and out to get the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. She was still poised to seize the Foul Weapon and she wasn't going to return Celestia's power until it was too late. The threat of Gravitas hung over him darkly. He needed to talk to his sisters about this. Even the prospect of sifting through what he learned today and sharing what needed to be shared would be problematic. He doubted his ability to defeat Gravitas in open combat, even with Luna at his side. He needed allies, or a really effective plan.

Or perhaps just a powerful enough weapon.

The sun would be rising soon. Perhaps he would see flaws in this one. Black Rose had expended a great deal of power. That final blast of sunlight alone drained her severely. As he prepared a teleport spell, he glanced back at the Heavenly Basin one more time.

"This isn't farewell, Black Rose. I promise."


	34. What Must Be Done

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 34: What Must Be Done**

The sun was setting by the time Vanguard called for a halt. Twilight felt torn between following orders and protesting. Her body desperately wanted to follow orders; she was exhausted and aching all over. Her mind wanted to press on until they found Rainbow Dash. 'That foal…' Her worry and anger mixed together like a bad milkshake recipe. The mission should have been over. Instead, they were trekking across Equestria, saddled with the impossible job of trying to keep up with the fastest flyers they had ever known. Those two might make it all the way to the Southern Barrier Land at the speed they were going. They escaped one ophidite, but they might end up surrounded by an army of the things. 'Stupid, stupid, Rainbow…we have so many things to take care of besides this!'

Applejack walked beside Twilight and looked at her worriedly. "You okay, Twi?"

Twilight nodded. Applejack also looked tired, but not as much as she was. That was mortifying considering that Applejack was walking around in barding. 'It's the conditioning,' she reminded herself. 'She's used to hard work and to that barding.'

Ahead, Vanguard Clash nodded towards a stand of trees. "We'll set up camp for tonight."

As they continued south, the rolling terrain of Macintosh Hills had given way to a flatter, more forested region. Twilight had never been this far south of Canterlot. They had the San Palomino Desert to the west and the Bad Lands to the east. She was thankful that they didn't have to trek through all that dryness, but that was a small comfort. The ground was rugged and uneven, with bushes scattered all around. Snow hadn't touched this part of Equestria.

They had a fire going pretty quickly. By the time it was dark, they were all sitting next to a steady blaze and munching on concentrated feed. As her frustrated worries about Rainbow Dash receded into the darkness with their surroundings, Twilight was finally forced to confront something that she had been avoiding throughout their trip.

She had just killed ponies.

Not just a pony. She killed several in a single stroke of lightning. The sickening smell of burned flesh nearly made her faint when it wafted towards her. She didn't dare to so much as glance at what she had wrought. Even without seeing them, her mind formed unwanted images: badly charred fur, partly melted skin, mouths open in frozen screams…she shuddered and fought back the urge to vomit.

She should have been prepared for this. She had been caught off guard when she killed her first wolven. This should have been different. She had been ready. She believed that she was ready when she asked to join Special Operations.

_"Something worse than killing wolven,"_ Vanguard had said. "_Killing other ponies."_ He was right of course. This was worse. It was easy to picture the wolven as bloodthirsty monsters out to destroy Equestria. That wasn't the complete picture, but it let her grit her teeth and do what had to be done. But with ponies…

What was all that preparation for? When she first saw Rainbow's kidnappers, she had readily thrown aside any other thought besides saving her friend. _"Pony-shaped ophidites, the lot of them,"_ Captain Bad Arc had said. She had held out those words as if they were a shield as she had cast her spell. They didn't get to scream. She barely caught any of their features before the blast charred them beyond recognition. Perhaps that was a blessing. They were kidnappers working for the enemy, that was all she needed. She didn't want to know their names or how they ended up where they were. If she did, she would hesitate and Rainbow Dash would be lost.

All of that was in the moment of spell casting. When they followed Rainbow's reckless charge, the thoughts she had so eagerly shoved aside began to creep back. She looked for ways to delay the inevitable: she focused on the scenery, thought about how much of an idiot Rainbow Dash was, and tried to keep up with the others without looking like she was exerting herself. Sitting by the fire, she felt alone with her thoughts even with Applejack and Vanguard only a few feet away.

The justifications came to mind first. They were the ones that easily found words. The guilt was a heavy presence that accused her without having the say anything. She had to do it. Orders were orders. What was she supposed to have done? Argue with Vanguard Clash and give Rainbow's captors time to react? She would have given that jerk, Bad Arc, another reason to cast doubts on her.

_"I say Third Squad should lead the attack on this one," Bad Arc said. The rest of his squad had already taken their seats in the briefing room._

_"Any particular reason why, Bad Arc?" Vanguard asked._

_"It's a perfect opportunity to cut your new squad's teeth. It's also their friend and one of your squad mates on the line here." Bad Arc's stare was hard and challenging. "I'd really like to see what Third Squad can do with its chosen members. After all, the youngest captain in Special Operations must have picked them because they made the cut; not because they're pretty or they asked nicely, or because they have a lot of clout in the Heartland."_

_Twilight bristled and was about to say something, but Applejack held her down with a hoof to her shoulder._

Twilight's hesitation would have only given Bad Arc more reasons to cast his doubts. Vanguard had taken a big risk in letting her join his squad. She couldn't afford making him look like a foal for agreeing to her request. Even if…even if…

Like a pair of hooves pressing tightly against her throat, the guilt silenced her reasons. None could stand before the fact that she had killed those ponies. She squirmed in place, then looked to the two who shared the fire with her. This was far from the first time Vanguard had killed a pony. Indeed, the first time she had encountered him, he was on a mission to do just that. As for Applejack…Applejack didn't seem bothered. She sat there next to Vanguard like a perfect soldier while Twilight squirmed and wrestled with her conscience. It wasn't fair. Rainbow Dash had done her share of killing too. As did Rarity. In fact, both of them killed a pony inside Clover's refuge. They didn't struggle like this. Was she really so weak? A miserable little chosen who balked each time she had to-

_"Protect Equestria!"_

Pyre Valor's image loomed across her thoughts. Her scorching presence sent even the oppressive guilt quailing. Twilight remembered that fierce gaze and the bruising grip of those hooves. Most of all, Twilight remembered the angry, mocking tone Pyre used to hurl her final words. Protect Equestria…she was doing that. She had always been doing that. Yet, Pyre challenged her as if she had only come upon the idea recently. Twilight matched Pyre Valor's angry glare with one of her own. 'I will protect Equestria, you…you nag! I don't need you to tell me!' she thought. The image of the dead ponies threatened to emerge again, but she used her growing anger to shove the thought aside. She refused to be smothered by this guilt. She will protect Equestria.

_"No matter the cost and no matter who pays it!"_

Twilight balked at those words. Surely there had to be a limit? Pyre had gone too far. She knew that. Too many lives had been sacrificed to break the barrier. It shouldn't have cost that much. But there was sense in Pyre's words. Not only that, they were the ones that offered respite from the guilt of having to kill ponies.

_"Put it above yourself and whatever small, pathetic, personal goals you might have!"_

Twilight stared at Applejack again. Small, pathetic, personal goals…trying to keep up and looking strong, worrying about Applejack's affections towards Vanguard; was that what it meant to have small, pathetic, personal goals? Were they hindering her as Pyre accused them of being?

Applejack suddenly flinched, then stared right back.

* * *

><p>For Applejack, a certain sense of monotony helped dull the ache from what she had just done. As they walked across Equestria to catch up to Rainbow Dash, she simply let all her thoughts glaze over and put one hoof in front of the other. The rhythm settled in, just as it would back in Sweet Apple Acres: buck the tree, collect the apples, haul the baskets away…simple, demanding work that left her muscles aching by the end of the day. As the sun set, she would look forward to getting a nice long bath and lying on her bed with that satisfied feeling of another good day's work completed.<p>

When Vanguard called for a halt, she was panting and sweating. This was the first time she had had to travel so far in her barding. There was comfort in her fatigue, though. One way to look at it, she had done a good day's work. Rainbow was still out there with Scarlet Rabbit, but it was better than being taken away by an evil snake to a life of slavery. She helped gather the wood, then stood back as Twilight blasted a blaze into being.

The sight of the fire bursting from Twilight's horn brought Applejack back to those moments. The enchanted chain was still coiled around her neck and it felt especially cold against her coat. Lassoing had always been a sport to her: fancy tricks to impress the other ponies, win ribbons at the rodeo, and to catch some critter. That all changed in those moments.

She had felt the pony's neck snap through the chain. It was as if the sound traveled through the links and made their way to her mouth. She had nearly dropped the thing in her surprise.

_"I can only imagine how many…creatures he strangled to death with that thing."_

Now, it was Applejack who was imagining it. This was Apple Slice's weapon. "The One Bad Apple" was no farmer and he probably wasn't a regular in rodeos either. This thing had never seen any other use other than hurting and killing others. How many enemies of Equestria did Apple Slice kill with this thing? How many was she going to add to its count? 'Am I going to be "the Other Bad Apple" or something?' she thought. She thought back to her family in the farm. She tried to explain her duty to the Legion and her defense of a pony the rest of her family considered to be bad. She didn't know if any of her words stuck. It seemed that she was plunging into whatever fate Apple Slice met no matter how much she struggled.

Applejack looked up again and found Twilight staring at her so intensely that she flinched. 'What's that look for?' she asked silently. Was it scorn? Applejack wondered how much of her thoughts her face betrayed. Twilight probably saw right through her. Twilight killed several ponies with a single spell and was the one who insisted on joining Special Operations. Compared to that determination, Applejack's doubts must come off as weakness.

"The two of you, listen," Vanguard said.

Applejack shook her head and paid attention. Twilight had also done the same.

"I'll take the first watch. Get some sleep. The both of you will take the second watch afterwards."

"Um…shouldn't we divide the watches into three?" Twilight asked.

"My apologies. Did I sound like I was making polite suggestions?" Vanguard settled into a comfortable position while the two turned in for the night.

* * *

><p>It was likely well past midnight when Vanguard woke Twilight and Applejack up for the next watch. Twilight wondered how he was able to walk so far in such heavy armor, then go on to take the first watch without any problem. He didn't even look like he was straining to stay up. His decision to divide the watches into two also baffled her. He could have gotten more sleep if he chose to let her and Applejack take separate watches.<p>

"Hey Twilight," Applejack said. She yawned and took a seat just a foot away.

"Hey," Twilight replied.

Silence reigned after that brief exchange. Twilight Sparkle felt ashamed. That was how random strangers greeted each other, not good friends. Surely, she had something more to say to Applejack than that? "This is some mission, huh?" She cringed at the second attempt.

"Yeah…" Applejack replied. "Some mission."

Again, they were silent. Dawn was already creeping up on them and all they had to fill the time was the gentle crackling of the fire. Twilight looked to Vanguard. He had his back turned to them. How he could sleep in that suit of his without chafing or waking up stiff was beyond her. It was too hard to even tell if he was already asleep.

"Twilight."

Twilight turned her attention back to Applejack. "Yes?"

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Twilight looked at Applejack in confusion.

"You know…burning through those ponies just like that, then marching on like it was nothing. I don't know if I could be strong like that."

"_What_?" Twilight stared at Applejack, a hint of indignation creeping up on her for a moment. When it was clear that Applejack wasn't making fun of her, she lowered her voice. "It's not like that at all. I thought you were the one who snapped that pony's neck and marched on without any worries!"

Applejack's eyes widened. "Without any-? You mean, I-but you-!"

Silence again. This time, it wasn't the empty silence of them unable to voice anything out. Understanding filled the void, one that didn't require words.

"I thought I'd be stronger by now," Twilight said softly. She breathed a bit easier now. She tossed a twig into the fire. "Strong enough to do what has to be done without flinching so much."

"I don't think it has anything to do with being strong," Applejack replied. "If it does, I don't think I want to be that kind of strong."

_"No matter the cost!"_

Twilight let the orange-red glare fill her vision. The blaze reminded her of the burning carnage Pyre Valor left of the wolven camp during her first encounter with the wolven, of her first fireball, and the fight between the two of them on that rooftop. She couldn't stop thinking of Pyre Valor for some reason. Pyre Valor was "that kind of strong". It was a strength that she needed; especially now against Black Rose. She had listened to Rarity's story about Lion Court and it confirmed what she had feared even back in Bastion City. Ponies served Black Rose. To fight that false alicorn, she would have to fight these ponies. "It's not a matter of us wanting to or not," she said.

Applejack stretched out her forelegs and rested her head on them. "It just ain't right," she said. "How's hurting and killing other ponies supposed to be for the good of Equestria?"

Twilight's expression hardened. The relief she had been feeling just moments ago dissipated like droplets of water before this fire. She didn't like that response, even though she acknowledged that it was the sort she would have made some time ago. They were fighting for so much here. They needed this sort of strength. Applejack had achieved so much already: hearing the Queen's voice, receiving that strange shield, that magical chain, and being promoted to vice-captain. Hearing her talk like this was...infuriating, and the fury lessened the ache from her guilt. "Then why did you join up with Special Operations?" she asked. "What did you think we were going to be doing?"

Applejack looked like Twilight had lunged at her with a weapon. "W-well, it was…it was because…"

"It's not just because Vanguard asked you, is it?"

Applejack looked away. For Twilight, that was a guilty enough expression. "That's just one reason," Applejack murmured. She stared at some far away point and repeatedly glanced back to Twilight.

The words came so swiftly that Twilight almost didn't even notice that her lips were already moving.

"That's pathetic."

The hurt look on Applejack's face was swiftly followed by an angry, defensive glare. "Oh yeah?" she asked, her voice rising. "What's your reason?"

"To protect Equestria."

"Well, I want to protect Equestria too! That doesn't mean I-!"

"That should be the only reason."

The first rays of dawn began to emerge, but the two of them greeted it wordlessly. It was a sullen Applejack who went over to wake Vanguard. Twilight felt her chest tighten. She had gone too far and she didn't even know why. Where were these sudden bursts of anger towards Applejack coming from? She had to put that aside for now. With the new day's arrival, the hunt for Rainbow was back on.

* * *

><p>Rainbow opened her eyes to the sight of a dying campfire. She stared at the blurry image for a while, unsure of whether she was dreaming or not. Then, she rolled over and tried to get in just a bit more sleep. When it entered her mind that she didn't remember setting any camp or going to sleep, she sat upright.<p>

"Good morning!" Scarlet said. He sat opposite of her with a wide grin on his face. "Just in time for breakfast!" He tossed her a bundle of greens. "I hope you like randomly picked grass. If you're feeling adventurous, I also found a few mushrooms over there."

"Scarlet?" Rainbow asked. "What happened? Why was I asleep?" She looked around her. They were still in the woods they had crashed into.

Scarlet chuckled. "Don't remember, huh? It was pretty hilarious! You were standing there all heroically, saying that we should go. Then, you took your first step and plopped right on your snout!" Before Rainbow could make an annoyed reply, he fell into a somber mood. "Well, now that you're up and about. I'm off."

Rainbow blinked at the sudden change in Scarlet's tone. "Wait. What? What do you mean you're off? Where are you going?"

"Off to kill Hassyth, where else?" Scarlet replied. He took one more step before Rainbow was already standing in front of him.

"No!" Rainbow said. "I've talked to you about this the last time, didn't I? You don't have to do this!"

Scarlet didn't look fazed by Rainbow's outburst. "Maybe I don't have to, but I sure would like to before I die."

"Die?" The word left Rainbow perplexed. She took a step back. When Scarlet was about to take flight, she stood right in front of him again. "Why would you die?" she asked.

"The Captain's going to kill me," Scarlet said. "By now, I'm sure he knows about me trying to race you against his orders. Even if he doesn't, he's going to find out." He looked far away for a moment, as if seeing something that Rainbow couldn't see. "I hope he just cuts off my head or something. I'm not too keen on hanging. It takes so long and you have all these ponies staring…"

"The Captain?" Rainbow asked. "You mean Vanguard? There's no way Vanguard would kill you! You're his squad mate!"

"Oh, he will. He said so. When the Captain says he'll do something, he's going to do it. He's awesome that way." The admiration in Scarlet's tone faded as he went on. "But I don't like that I'm going to die while Hassyth's alive," he growled. "I'm going to kill that snake bastard first, then go back to let the Captain do his job!"

"That's stupid!" Rainbow insisted. "I won't let you!"

"Look, I stuck around because you were unconscious and in the middle of nowhere! You're fine now! Go…be the Element of Loyalty somewhere or something!"

Scarlet flew past Rainbow. Before he could disappear into a streak of red, she had already grabbed him by the tail with her mouth. Scarlet's hind leg lashed out, smashing into Rainbow's chin and sending her tumbling several feet backwards. He paused to check on her briefly before flying off. He managed a few feet more before she was already hovering in front of him.

"You're starting to piss me off, Rainbow!" Scarlet said. "What do you want?"

"I'm not letting you throw your life away," Rainbow replied. "We're going back!"

"Don't you get it? I'm already dead! I just want to take Hassyth out with me!" Scarlet shouted.

"No, you're not!" Rainbow shouted back. "I won't let Vanguard kill you! Or Prince Terrato! Or anypony else in the Legion! This race is my fault too! If they kill you, they'll have to kill me too!"

"Get out of my way, Rainbow." Scarlet's voice dropped to a low and dangerous tone.

"No." Rainbow's voice was just as steely.

"So you think, because you caught up to me, that you're hot stuff, huh?" Scarlet raised his forelegs in a fighting stance.

Rainbow tensed. She did catch up to him. She didn't feel like a winner, though. She didn't know how she won. Did she accomplish it by being faster than him or did being the bearer of the Element of Loyalty give her an advantage? Those moments were muddled with too much urgency and high emotion. Maybe she did win. Maybe she had already proven that she was faster than him. That didn't matter this moment.

"I'm going to hit you with a right hoof straight to the face," Scarlet said. "No tricks. Just an onward rush and a straight right hoof to the face."

Rainbow raised her forelegs. A straight right hoof to the face should be easy enough to block. She had only seen Scarlet fight with a crossbow and he could be crafty hoof-to-hoof fighter, but there was sincerity in his words.

"Are you ready?" Scarlet asked. A second passed and he started to move.

Rainbow wasn't exactly sure what happened between that second and the part where she was flying from a straight right hoof to the face. It appeared as if she had blinked and he had struck her. But did she blink or was that brief darkness already his hoof closing in on her face? She struck the muddy ground, rolling past grass and loose stones before slamming back-first into a tree.

"Sorry about that!" Scarlet called out. "You were being really stubborn!"

Rainbow was on her hooves at once. Her vision was blurry and spinning, but she had her wings flapping. She instinctively flew towards Scarlet's voice. She had guessed right. Again, she was hovering in front of Scarlet before he could fly anywhere. The look of utter surprise in his face nearly made it worth getting smashed by his hooves. Rainbow let herself smile a little. Some blood leaked from a nostril and left a metallic taste on her lips.

"Just let me go already!" Scarlet cried out.

"No."

Scarlet raised a hoof as if to strike again. "I'll knock your brains out!" he snarled. "I'll break your wings so you can't follow me!"

"No."

His forelegs shook and his teeth ground so hard that Rainbow could have sworn she heard them from where she was. Finally, he relaxed. "Why not?"

Rainbow's smile widened slightly. "I don't like losing," she said. "That includes friends."


	35. A Thorn's Purpose

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 35: A Thorn's Purpose**

_"The Element of Loyalty is flaring up, Longstride. The mistress expects a report on the current situation."_

_"Why isn't she the one contacting me?"_

_"She's a little indisposed at the moment. Nothing that should concern you."_

_"The target has moved out of range. I am unable to verify her current situation."_

That short exchange between him and Lion Court continued to replay itself in Longstride's mind as he scanned the forest for his targets. He had strained his wings to the limit keep up with the two as they made their mad dash. It was impossible. At the very best of his flying efforts, he saw two very small dots on the horizon begin to descend before completely escaping his vision. All he had was a very vague approximation of where they might have landed.

That was yesterday. It was already late morning of the following day. It felt as if he was still caught in yesterday until he found his target again. That it was Lion Court who communicated with him was vaguely bothersome. With Blue Moon having gone rogue, Lion Court must taken on the leadership role. The Thorns never had to replace anypony before, but it had to happen at some point. It was his reply that provided the greatest distraction of the moment.

_"The target has moved out of range."_

Longstride had served the Legion as a sniper for more than half his life. He had taken down brachyurii, coatl overlords, and ursan titans, with a properly timed and placed shot. Never, in all those years of service, had he ever said the words "the target has moved out of range".

Being a member of Black Rose's Thorns left little room for hubris. Talented as they were, each member was but a tool to be used by a far greater pony for a purpose larger than any of them could hope to understand. Rainbow Dash's speed was never in doubt. There had always been that chance that she would be able to fly out of sight. He wasn't humiliated in the least that she did so.

What Longstride felt was uncertainty. He had been sure that Rainbow Dash was the worst of the Elements of Harmony: impetuous, arrogant, undisciplined, and not very bright. Yet, she had gained some attunement to the element she bore and her mind had survived when he was sure that it would have crumbled instantly. He had misjudged his target greatly and this didn't sit in well with him. He flitted through the trees, careful to reveal as little of his presence as possible. The last thing he wanted right now was to be spotted by his targets before he spotted them.

_"Have some faith in Rainbow Dash."_

Black Rose's request remained with Longstride. Faith in Rainbow Dash. It had occurred to him that he just might be in the cusp of having that. It was a dangerous thing to happen. At the start of this mission, Rainbow Dash's failure and demise was nothing more than a setback. He would shoulder some of the blame for getting her killed, but that was it. Seeing what she had done and was still doing left him wondering if she might be worthy of the heavy responsibility she was carrying. This should be a good thing. A stronger Rainbow Dash meant more success for Black Rose's plans. Yet, here he was caught between wanting Rainbow to succeed and letting himself maintain the distance he deemed necessary.

Looking for two pegasi in a wood was no small task. A squad of legionnaires could comb through this area without turning up anything. He didn't have a squad of legionnaires. Not only that, he had to make sure that he wasn't seen. The noon sun was upon him when he finally sighted something among the trees; a flash of colors followed by rustling leaves. Rainbow led the way while Scarlet followed reluctantly. The two had taken to flying beneath the trees to avoid being shot in the open. Longstride conceded that Rainbow Dash was, at least, smart enough to learn from earlier mishaps. There had to be some way for her to survive up to adulthood after all.

Longstride took cover and had an arrow ready. They were passing too close for comfort. If they were wolven or ursans and were downwind of him, they'd be lunging towards his hiding spot already. The range provided him with some advantages as well. He could observe them a little better and notice more details.

Rainbow Dash was sweating too profusely given that she was flying rather slowly. She may be lacking in prudence, but she was no slouch when it came to athletics. Half a day's flying should not leave her panting and sweating like this. The after effects of those drugs must be taking hold.

Scarlet Rabbit had noticed as well. Not surprising with his own history of ophidite drug usage. Longstride aimed the arrow at his neck. Scarlet Rabbit's purpose was over. From now on, his continued survival would only prove harmful to Rainbow Dash. A single shot should take care of the matter.

_"Longstride…"_

Black Rose's soft, low-pitched voice flooded Longstride's ears. He lowered his bow. "How are you feeling, mistress?" he asked, his voice low and far from the earshot of his targets.

_"Much better. I see that you've finally caught up with Rainbow Dash."_

"Yes. I am about to make adjustments as we speak."

_"Take a little more time to consider, Longstride."_

Longstride flitted to the next available hiding spot as the two moved on. "Scarlet Rabbit's elimination should prove more beneficial in the long run," he said. "She has more important friends to draw out her loyalty."

_"I'm not just talking about the effects of Scarlet Rabbit's death."_

"I do not understand, mistress."

_"How do you feel about the whole matter?"_

Longstride's answer was pure reflex. "My feelings about this matter are irrelevant."

_"If I required you to simply assassinate somepony, that would have sufficed. Your task is a bit more complicated this time."_

Longstride still didn't understand. He had his reasons for having to do this. Scarlet Rabbit was a liability, likely to drag Rainbow Dash into more trouble than was needed to draw out her power. Wouldn't it make sense to eliminate him? He looked at his target again.

Rainbow Dash had landed under one tree in exhaustion while Scarlet Rabbit hovered near her. Whatever effect that the Element of Loyalty had on Rainbow Dash appeared to have its own drawbacks, which were combining with the aftereffects of both the Befuddling Grass and the Fool's Cap. There was also the beating she took from Scarlet Rabbit and the still-healing wound on her flank. Right now, she was a far cry from the arrogant, undisciplined filly he first encountered when he took on this mission: one of her eyes had swollen badly, there was fresh blood on the bandages around her cutie mark, and it also looked like she was having trouble keeping her balance. Through it all, she acted as if she would drag herself and Scarlet Rabbit back to Canterlot if she had to.

Longstride began to understand why he shouldn't rush to slay Scarlet Rabbit. Rainbow Dash had risked much to keep him from getting himself killed. A single shot would render all her efforts, efforts that included drawing strength from the Element of Loyalty, meaningless.

"Look, I'll carry you on my back if you want me to," Scarlet Rabbit said. Rainbow shook her head. Longstride almost felt glad about that answer. There was the stubborn, foalish pride he knew. The two were forced to lengthen their short break into a long rest. Rainbow Dash lay on her belly while Scarlet gathered some nearby grass for lunch.

Much to Longstride's alarm, he recognized some of the grasses that Scarlet Rabbit pulled out. Rainbow Dash was about to be treated to some of Sablesteel's favorite ingredients! "Foal," he muttered. Long years in the north must have frozen any knowledge of southern herbs in Scarlet's mind. Longstride raised his bow again. His first instinct was to shoot the grass right out of Scarlet Rabbit's mouth. However, an arrow from nowhere would panic them and send them flying in some random direction. Starting a fight or a chase would be detrimental to the mission. Still, he had to-

'Observe.'

Longstride shook his head. Yes, that was the action he was supposed to take. What had he been thinking just a while ago? If Rainbow Dash died of poisoning. They simply had to replace her. He remembered that incident back in Ghastly Gorge. If he had not intervened, Rainbow Dash would not have made it up to this point. That act cast doubt on her new-found attunement to the Element of Loyalty. This may be the opportunity to correct his mistake.

"Here." Scarlet Rabbit offered the bundle of grass to Rainbow. "You need to eat."

Something within Longstride to snapped. He quickly undid the straps that bound his survival kit to him, flew into the clearing with his bow drawn, then aimed at Rainbow Dash. At the sight of him they both flapped their wings for a fight. At least, Scarlet Rabbit was able to hover. Rainbow flapped her wings a few times, then landed. "Stop right there," Longstride said. He glanced at Scarlet before refocusing on Rainbow Dash. "Stand down, stallion. Try anything and she gets an arrow to the head."

For a moment, Longstride actually thought that Scarlet was going to try something anyway. He looked ready to charge, but he eventually backed down.

"You're that sniper," Rainbow Dash said weakly.

"About a hundred feet from this spot, there's a small stream," Longstride told Scarlet. "Get several cups of water from it. You will also spot a type of flower along its banks. They have thin, pointed blue petals in a star pattern. Bring several of them back here. Follow that stream a short distance and you'll find a stand of slender trees with large, fan-like yellow leaves. Bring several of those as well."

"What am I supposed to carry the water with?" Scarlet asked.

"About thirty feet behind me, you'll find my survival kit. Bring it with you."

Longstride adjusted his position as Scarlet flew tentatively towards where his kit was. Their eyes met for a moment and it was clear to him that, if he lost control of this situation, Scarlet would swiftly beat him to a pulp. With Scarlet off to follow his instructions, he turned his gaze back to Rainbow Dash, who was glaring at him as defiantly as she could.

"What are you planning?" Rainbow asked.

Longstride didn't reply. It wasn't just because he had no intention of striking any conversation with Rainbow Dash. He was still wrestling with what exactly he was doing. Scarlet came back with the things he requested. "Build a fire, and start boiling those flowers," he told Scarlet. "While they're boiling, find some flat rocks and grind those leaves into a paste."

Again, Scarlet did as he was told. Minutes passed while he built a fire and prepared all the plants. Throughout the whole thing, Longstride kept his bow drawn and aimed. "Apply that paste around her swollen eye and her scrapes," he said once Scarlet was done. He then turned towards Rainbow. "Drink that water. Down to the last drop."

"No way!" Rainbow said. "It's probably poison!"

Longstride nearly dropped his bow. "I have an arrow aimed at your skull, foal. Why would I bother with poisons?"

It took some time before Rainbow Dash's indignation lessened enough for the logic to sink in. Longstride waited as she tried a few times to hold the bowl without burning herself. When she got her first mouthful in, she grimaced and looked about to spit it out, but Longstride glared at her. "Foal of a nag!" Rainbow exclaimed. "This is bitter stuff!"

"Keep drinking. Down it all."

Rainbow glared back at Longstride, then did as she was told. She let out a long exhale through her mouth once she was finished. "If you're not trying to poison me, what is in this stuff?" she asked.

"For the fever," Longstride replied. The confused looks on both Rainbow and Scarlet only served to mirror his own uncertainty. 'What am I doing?' he asked himself. He had cornered himself with this foalish decision. What was he supposed to do next? Warn them about following him and fly off? Guard them from their own foalishness until they made it back to Canterlot? Why had he chosen to step in again?

The answer was obvious, however. He could already picture his mistress reclining on her bed with yet another cunning smile. _"A little faith,"_ she would say. _"That's why."_

Longstride crushed the notion. As best as he could anyway. Maybe, in the recesses of his mind, he was impressed. She had certainly exceeded his expectations. Maybe, a small seed of faith had been planted. Maybe, the Element of Loyalty had chosen well, that Rainbow Dash was capable of rising to her role. It was too early. Let the seed be just a seed. "Third Squad is moving south to find you," he said. "Fly above the trees and follow that direction." He pointed a hoof northward. "You will not be shot down if you do this. Try to follow me, and you will both die." He backed away slowly. "Stay safe from now on, Rainbow Dash," he said before flying off.

* * *

><p>Sablesteel closed her eyes and listened as music flowed from Black Rose's bedroom. She didn't like Octavia, but she had to admit that this music would have given Rhapsody a run for her bits. It certainly aided them greatly now.<p>

Last night, Black Rose had returned from her meeting with Prince Terrato in a foul mood. Unlike her beloved, she didn't thunder or rumble. Instead, her displeasure wafted from her like a black, toxic fog. Sablesteel felt as if she was about to suffocate when their mistress first came in. Octavia played some sad, haunting tune. After a while, the air in their headquarters lightened. Sable continued to stand just outside of Black Rose's room with her eyes closed as the last few notes faded away. She heard the doors open and the sound of a sharp inhale.

"Miss Sable?" Octavia said. "I wasn't expecting you there."

Sable opened her blue eye and stared at Octavia. Among the surviving Thorns, she expected herself to be the last to adjust to their newest member. Serving as Black Rose's agents was just one thing she and Rhapsody had done together. They had grown up in the same village, joined the Legion at the same time, and fought the same enemies. No matter how pragmatically she tried to look at it, she still felt the pangs of resentment that came with seeing somepony take Rhapsody's place. "I was just going," she said. Indeed, she was already wearing her gear save for her breather mask which she had tucked under a foreleg. "I just stopped by to enjoy a little music. You're certainly talented there."

A ghost of a smile crossed Octavia's face. "Thank you," she said.

"Lion Court said that you wanted to see your family. Have you done so?"

Octavia looked away. "I changed my mind. I think it would be too dangerous for me to show up in Canterlot for now. Especially since I came here."

Both eyes open now, Sablesteel merely snorted and moved on. Octavia was aware of their situation and still stayed. That should be a good sign. Sable had other matters to worry about for now, though. It had been days since she last dealt with Pinkie Pie. From what she had observed, her target had found herself a true earth pony that Black Rose had inexplicably told her to spare. Just how much Pinkie Pie had learned during the first few days of her studies was about to be tested.

"Excuse me, Miss Sablesteel,"

Sable stopped and looked back. Nopony had ever called her "Miss Sablesteel". It sounded like something Lion Court would use on the many, many mares he associated with. "What do you want?" she asked. She purposely let a hint of irritation creep into her tone, just to remind Octavia that she didn't enjoy trifles.

"Lion Court told me that your task is to make things…difficult for the pink pony."

"Lion Court talks too much," Sable snapped. This was just typical of him, messing around with everypony else's mission while he did his. "But he's right. What about it?"

"If you need any help, I'd like to do more than just be the mistress's personal cellist."

Sable turned around completely and studied Octavia, who returned her gaze with a serious mien that left her impressed and intrigued. "By now, you should know exactly what I do, Octavia," she said.

"Yes."

Sable noticed the faint, glowing…thing hovering just next to Octavia's cello. Ever since she found her way here, Octavia had been repeatedly asked to play her cello. The requests were innocuous enough. Black Rose did enjoy music while she worked. More importantly, each performance allowed Warsinger and its new player to harmonize.

_"It's not about forcing,"_ Rhapsody said once. _"Warsinger doesn't seize control to make you do things. It's more like…it lets you do things you couldn't before. Like having a supportive audience or having somepony hold your hoof."_

Rhapsody had said that while she was drenched in ophidite blood and standing in the middle of a destroyed camp, her serene voice punctuated by dying hisses. Through harmony with Warsinger, the filly who cried her eyes out when she saw Sable cut herself practicing gear maintenance became the mare that the ophidites called "blood-soaked nightingale". However, Rhapsody had plenty of time to work with Warsinger, not just a few days. "Did you also make the same offer to Lion Court and Longstride?" she asked.

Octavia hesitated at the question. "Well…no. I suppose not."

"Then why make it to me?"

"Well, the pink pony-!"

"So it's a grudge." Sablesteel walked over and stared long and hard into Octavia's eyes. "We don't do things out of grudges here, Octavia," she hissed. "We are the Thorns and we serve a higher purpose."

_"We are the cleansing dark that floods the land, the eyes of the departed moon princess that decide who lives to see the dawn. We are the Blackmoon Blades and we raise our weapons only for who we are, not what we feel."_

Sable let her grandfather's words flood her. The Blackmoon Blades were dead and the moon princess was her enemy, but she still firmly believed that she embodied their ideals. She backed up a bit when she saw that Octavia was holding her ground. "I'll take up your offer," she said. "I think it's time for you to move up in tasks. I'm warning you, this is my mission. You do as I say and when I say it. If you mess this up, I don't care if Warsinger picked you. I'm going to stick a needle under your tail and melt your innards. Are we clear?"

Sable saw a glimmer of fear within Octavia's eyes. The chosen was still there after all. Perhaps that was a good thing. Having some form of back up gave her an idea as well. "Do you remember that special chamber in your quarters?" she asked. Octavia nodded. "Go there and wait. I'll contact you when I need to. Warm up your cello or whatever you musicians do before performing." Sable watched until Octavia was out of sight before heading for one of the temporary portals. The ones linked to Canterlot were the most dangerous ones to use as they could be discovered by the Legion. Black Rose already had to destroy a few when legionnaires started to close in on them, including the one Lion Court had used to recruit Octavia.

The dimensional door opened. It was a late afternoon sun that greeted Sablesteel when she stepped out of a hidden cellar in one of Canterlot's alleys. Her use of this portal would likely bring the need to destroy it, but it would be for a good cause. She had worked with Frenzy Heart enough times to know what a true earth pony channeler could accomplish. All she needed to do now was wait.

As it turned out, she didn't even have to wait for very long. Half an hour later, she could hear the rush of hooves heading towards her spot. Her target appeared by the entrance to the alley.

"I found you!" Pinkie Pie said. She was panting and she was holding a channeler's tablet.

"Congratulations," Sablesteel muttered. Blades sprang from her foreleg devices with a push of a button. Her stinger device clinked against the pavement.

"I'm not letting you hurt anypony I care about!" Pinkie said. "You should just…you should just back off and leave them alone!"

"Or you'll what?" Sablesteel asked. "You're going to squeal at me some more? I think I'll kill one of them just for that."

"You're not going anywhere!" Pinkie's high pitched voice dropped to a growl. She planted her forelegs on the ground, daring Sable to try and get past her.

"I'd compliment you for being brave, Pinkie Pie," Sable said. "Except bravery includes knowing what you're in for." Her tone dropped as well. "You barely have an idea of what I can and will do."

Once more, Sable saw that glimmer of fear. Pinkie Pie composed herself, however. "I'm not fighting you alone," she said. "Captain Nightcanter and her friends were following me when I started chasing after you."

"Good," Sable replied. "I could use a workout." She turned her focus on her communication device. "Are you ready, Octavia?" she whispered.

"Ready."

Sablesteel adjusted her communication device to synchronize with the special chamber in Octavia's quarters. Then, she took to the air, hovering just high enough to look down on her target. Pinkie Pie's hooves were trembling while she clutched her tablet tightly, but she looked determined to go through with this. This Captain Nightcanter must a Special Operations squad leader. Sable would have a few minutes at best to see what Pinkie Pie could do before the rest of the Legion came down upon her.

"Let's go."

Sablesteel began to swoop.


	36. The Last Blade

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 36: The Last Blade**

For the very long second it took Sablesteel descend on her, Pinkie's mind raced through an explosion of panicked thoughts. 'Oh no! Oh no! This is so bad! She's starting that swooping thing! What do I do? What do I do?'

At the tail end of that second, Pinkie jumped to one side. Sablesteel's blade-tipped hoof whistled an inch from her ear as she slammed against a wall. She heard the metallic ping of several small things landing a few feet away. She had more pressing concerns, however. Her tablet had slipped from her forelegs and skittered away.

What was the plan again? She had been so sure when she was running towards this alley. The plan should be simple: find Sablesteel, get Sablesteel to stop trying to hurt anypony, tell everypony that it was safe to return to their normal lives again, then finish with a celebratory song, preferably with Sablesteel.

Step one proved surprisingly easy. Despite all his oddities, Copper Mane did show her how to work the channeling slab. She was able to see ley energy whenever she wanted to now. After that, it was simply a matter of looking for disturbances throughout the lines, just as she had done back in that really scary and dark place under Everfree Castle. She had taken a huge gamble in running after this particular disturbance, but it had paid off.

Step two was proving to be a rather huge snarl in her plan. Sablesteel was more monstrous than she remembered. Even though she knew that there was a pony under that mask, she still couldn't stop trembling at the mere sight of Sablesteel's gear. The first swing from those blades also made it clear that this problem wasn't going to be solved by talking.

"Hold still!" Sablesteel's growl was hollow and metallic. She made a swift turn after her first swoop and positioned herself for another.

"Why do you have to do this?" Pinkie Pie asked. She zigzagged through the alley, trying to get to her channeling slab and make herself a difficult target at the same time.

Sablesteel answered by landing right on the slab just as Pinkie was about to make a grab for it. Pinkie yelped and jumped back at the last moment. She eyed Sablesteel warily and began to circle around.

"What's the matter, Pinkie Pie?" Sablesteel asked. "Did all your bravado come from this chunk of shale?"

Pinkie's eyes narrowed. No, that wasn't true. She had always had her Pinkie Sense. The channeling slab just sort of let her see how it worked. She lowered her stance, then charged. Her sudden move startled Sablesteel for a second, giving her enough time to snatch the slab. That moment quickly passed. A sharp sensation in her mind made her move her head to the right. She felt another bladed strike whistle close to her face. With another yelp, she made a run for it to recollect herself. Something hard slashed through the hair of her tail, sending strands flying. Pinkie didn't look back until she felt that she was far enough. She turned around and saw that Sablesteel had not moved from the spot.

"We don't have to fight!" Pinkie cried out. "Just promise to leave my friends and family alone!"

"I won't," Sablesteel replied.

"Why not? What did they ever do to you?"

Sablesteel swooped again, sending Pinkie scurrying for some sort of cover. "Is that all you came here to do, Pinkie Pie?" she asked. She whirled in mid-air, cutting at Pinkie like a bladed corkscrew.

Pinkie flattened herself against the ground. This time, she felt the very tip of Sablesteel's blades lightly graze against her. It was difficult to tell if she had been actually cut or if the blades had merely parted her fur. The stinging sensation that followed confirmed her fears. She held the channeling slab tightly and scrambled to her hooves.

'Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…' Tears welled up in Pinkie's eyes. Sablesteel hovered just a few feet away, hoof-blades extended and the stinger around her tail waving lazily. Step two seemed all but impossible. She was panting, sweating, and trembling. Her back felt as if there was a swarm of angry bees stinging her. Her enemy was not even breathing hard. This was looking more and more like a bad idea with each passing second. She had to try something.

"Does it sting, Pinkie Pie?" Sablesteel asked. "That's just a scratch. I'm not stopping at scratches and I'm not stopping at you. Unless…"

Pinkie's eyes widened. "Unless what? What do you want? Tell me!"

"Quit being an Element of Harmony."

"What?" Pinkie stared at Sablesteel. Seconds passed before she could make sense of the sentence. "Quit…quit being an Element of Harmony? How is that…what does…why would you…?" Pinkie wrestled with the idea. She didn't know if she should be angry for having something like that suggested to her or be curious if such a thing was even possible. How would a pony quit being an Element of Harmony? Did she have to talk to somepony? Princess Celestia maybe? But her necklace had already shattered anyway. Wasn't that some kind of quitting? Maybe her element had quit on her.

Sablesteel waved a hoof irritably. "Put the how's and why's away for now! Give me a yes or no."

Pinkie opened her mouth only to realize that she had no idea what to say. "Wait, if I say yes, will you leave my friends and family alone?"

"I will," Sablesteel replied. "I swear that neither I nor any of my fellow thorns will harm them."

Pinkie Pie stared long and hard at Sablesteel. The insect-like mask hid her face and distorted her voice, making it impossible to tell if she was lying or not. "B-but, my friends need me to be part of the elements…"

"The Element of Joy will pick somepony else," Sablesteel replied. "They'll still be your friends."

"Why do you want me to do that?"

"Yes or no?"

Pinkie clamped down on her tongue, fearing that she might say yes without thinking. Horrifying as the thought was, Sablesteel's offer sounded tempting. Everypony expected so much from the Elements of Harmony: the royal siblings, the Legion, even their enemies. It was all so heavy. If somepony could do it better, why shouldn't they? But…

"Well?" Sablesteel asked.

"No," Pinkie said. She nearly clapped her hooves over her mouth. "My friends need me! I can't just quit!"

"Need you for what?" Sablesteel asked. "For balloons? Isn't that your purpose in life? That's what's written on your flank!" She dove after Pinkie.

Again, any thought of fighting back flew out of Pinkie Pie's mind once she was faced with those poisoned blades. The stinging pain on her back remained a dire warning of what would happen if she let herself get cut any deeper. She hopped backwards and skipped to her sides, barely staying a step away from another poisoned wound.

"Don't you see how out of your element you are?" Sablesteel said. "You're worse than a fish out of water! At least, the fish just flops and dies. You will drag others into your fall, Pinkie Pie!"

"I…I just wanted to help!" Pinkie wailed. She ducked one swing and, unable to contain her frustration, lunged towards Sablesteel. Her head slammed into the pegasus's midriff. Sablesteel broke off and hovered above her. Pinkie wasn't sure if she had actually hurt Sablesteel, or it was merely the surprise of the moment. She rubbed her head to help with the pain of impact only to notice that it wasn't just hurting because of her attack.

"Then help," Sablesteel said. "Let somepony else bear the Element of Joy."

"Why are you so insistent? What do you get out of it?"

"I get to not have to kill you!"

Like a thick, damp blanket, silence settled on them. All Pinkie could hear were her harsh breathing and the gentle flapping of Sablesteel's wings. "Why?" she asked. When she decided to speak, she found her voice far too loud.

Sablesteel's stinger clinked with a twitch of her tail. Pinkie swallowed when a single drop of…something, fell from the pointed tip to the ground. "Because, Pinkie Pie, I don't want to deal with you. You're an itch; a minor bother that does more harm if you actually scratch it. Hurting the Element of Joy is a necessity, but hurting you stains me. Go away on your own. Stand at the sidelines, cheer for your friends, make them cakes, and throw them parties. Leave the important work to somepony else."

The last sentence struck Pinkie, leaving her unable to recall what Sablesteel had said earlier. She had heard this somewhere before.

_"What's your passion, Pinkie? Birthday cakes? Party hats?"_

Balloons, birthday cakes, and party hats…was that it? Were New Fluttershy and Sablesteel right? Was that all her cutie mark meant? Wasn't that good enough to be the Element of Joy? "No," she said, her voice trembling. Sablesteel didn't respond, probably because she didn't hear her. "No!" Pinkie Pie said louder. Now that she was holding the shale tablet, she saw all the ley energy around them. There was a strange rippling around those weird metal things Sablesteel had thrown earlier, but she couldn't tell what was happening with them nor did she really care. "NO!" she shouted. She planted her hooves on the ground and let the colors meld into her body.

* * *

><p>When Pinkie Pie shouted at her, Sable already knew that she had triggered something. When Pinkie Pie disappeared, she started to realize that "something" might be a threat. She turned instinctively with a hoof raised when she felt a draft to her right.<p>

Pinkie Pie had somehow materialized by her side.

Pinkie Pie was screaming at the top of her lungs by the time she reappeared in Sable's sights. Her right foreleg ground against Sable's, barely slipping past the block, then smashing a hoof against one side her breather mask. Pinkie's eyes lit up, surprised that her attack actually managed to hit.

Furious, Sable answered by knocking Pinkie Pie to the ground with a hoof to the face. She barely managed to twist the blow at the last moment to avoid stabbing Pinkie Pie's eye out. She shook her head. She had to recover before those insane abilities triggered again. Her mask had absorbed most of the blow, but the clear covering on the left eye had cracked on impact. 'This is not what I'm looking for,' she thought. A bearer of the Elements of Harmony becoming a stronger fighter was a mere secondary objective to Black Rose. This was also not completely new. She had seen Frenzy Heart move in such a manner before.

Sable pulled a few more canisters from her harness and scattered them across the alley. Fortunately, the small cracks had not affected her breather mask's functions. Otherwise, she would have had to pull back or risk flying into the city. She landed several feet away from Pinkie, who was still recovering from her blow.

"That's not where my cutie mark ends!" Pinkie Pie shouted. Her tablet glowed brightly. "I've got more than birthday cakes and party hats! That's not all what my cutie mark means!" She disappeared from sight again. No flash of magic as there would have been with a unicorn spell. One second she was there, then she was gone.

Sable was ready this time. She had fought teleporting unicorns before. She felt the air to her right shift. As she had thought, Pinkie Pie avoided appearing directly behind her, where her bladed back hooves and her stinger could attack. Pinkie Pie would appear to her sides, close to her hind legs, but out of their way. Sable still had weapons there. She extended her wings. Up in the air, her sides were vulnerable because she had to use her wings for flying. Not so on the ground.

Pinkie Pie did appear from the right, both front hooves ready for a strike. Sable swiped at her with a bladed wing, but she noticed it and stepped back at the last moment. The wing blade barely touched the tip of her nose. With the attack neutralized, Sable began to turn on the spot, stabbing at Pinkie with the stinger, then attacking with the left wing blade. Upon facing Pinkie Pie, Sable hovered a foot off the ground and lashed out with all four legs.

Faced with a steadily advancing wall of envenomed blades, Pinkie Pie yelped and ran back. "No fair!" she cried out. "You've got too many weapons!"

"And you've got too few!" Sable retorted. "That's the problem isn't it? You've got nothing to put on the table besides gags and giggles!" She flew up and swooped. Again, Pinkie Pie weaved through her blades, always dodging by a hair's width. 'Discipline,' she thought. Frustration hung around the edges of her thoughts. This barely trained earth pony slipped through a barrage of attacks that should have been enough to cut down several ursans. A lesser soldier would be grinding her teeth away in a rage by now. Sable concentrated on conserving her energy instead, relying on a more reliable, albeit slower, method of taking out Pinkie Pie.

"I've got more!" Pinkie Pie shouted back. Her voice dropped and she looked down. Sable saw an opportunity to lunge and cut her, but decided to stay put. "I can do more. I can be the Element of Joy."

"You keep telling yourself that," Sable said. "Let's see how much of a comfort it is when the ponies around you start to suffer!"

"Leave them alone!"

A hoof struck Sable's side before the last word even finished. She winced, noting that the blows were getting stronger. She slashed with her wings again, but Pinkie Pie was no longer there. Unfazed, she struck out with her other wing without looking. She felt this one cut something and heard the pained cry. When the two of them broke off, Pinkie Pie was bleeding from a shallow cut to the shoulder. 'Your fault, foal,' Sable thought. 'I'm giving you a way out, but you won't take it.'

Tears streamed from Pinkie Pie's eyes. She pressed a hoof against the cut and started blowing on it. Sable wasn't too worried. Her wing blades weren't poisoned this time. From the bleeding, she doubted that she cut anything too important. The reaction was all the more telling of why she didn't want to deal with this mare. Impressive as her channeling was, Pinkie Pie acted like a filly with a scraped knee or a splinter. "Understand now?" she asked. "Take my offer."

Pinkie Pie tried to say something, but it was easy for Sable to see that she was starting to feel the effects of the other poison. She wobbled slightly and squinted, wincing at what undoubtedly was a severe headache. That should stop any of her channeling now. If there was anything else she could use, it should be the Element of Joy. If she couldn't…Sable looked to her foreleg devices. Her blades were coated with a very minor toxin, less potent than bee venom. Her needles carried a lethal mix.

"Stop right there, Sablesteel!"

Sable glanced towards the end of the alley. Just as Pinkie Pie had said, a group of legionnaires had been following her: a four-pony Special Operations squad, some reinforcing legionnaires, and a few members of the Royal Guard. Leading them was a unicorn mare whose purple mane came down in ringlets.

Sable spoke to her communicating device. "Octavia, you're on. Will Warsinger's harmonics to torment. I'm not in the mood for wiping brains off my gear."

"Alright," Octavia replied. Even through the communicating device, Sable noticed the relief in her voice. Warsinger had not yet influenced her enough for its deadliest harmonics. Another second passed before the music started.

For a fleeting second, Sable expected Rhapsody's melodious voice, an ethereal tone known to melt stallions on the spot even without Warsinger, to flow out from her communication device. Instead, she heard the deep and powerful notes from a cello. The music was far from the soothing pieces Sable heard Octavia play for Black Rose. It began with deep, ominous quivers; Octavia's grudge against Pinkie Pie in musical form. The first part served as a warning, a herald for bad things to come. Sable hoped that Octavia did not overdo things. The special chamber in her room allowed her to send her music through the other thorns, but in a less potent form. That should be enough to ensure some control.

Despite the diluted power, the effect of Warsinger quickly proved telling. The legionnaires and guards that charged halted in their tracks. The music left them disoriented and fearful of something they could neither see nor put a name to. Sable pulled out a different kind of canister from her pouches and chucked it beneath them. A yellow haze seeped from the canister, slowly filling the alley with poison. The unicorn mare and her squad mates shouted for the others to leave, while they dragged Pinkie Pie out. The ponies caught in Warsinger's tune didn't seem to hear the warning. Their eyes watered and their noses ran at first. As they stayed in the cloud, the tears and snot turned into blood. In less than a minute, all of them had fallen to the ground, coughing, wheezing, and bleeding.

Sable had little time to survey her hoof-work. It was time to remind Pinkie Pie of what happened when a pony involved herself in things beyond her. The music continued to flow from her communication device, leaving everypony within earshot of it unable to defend themselves properly.

* * *

><p>Pinkie tried desperately to stay on her hooves, but the dull ache from earlier had turned into a searing headache. She was feeling sick for some reason. 'This is no time to come down with a cold!' she told herself. 'I've got to stop her!' She tried to concentrate on the swirling colors again, but the pain made it impossible. Nightcanter was dragging her out of the alley with telekinesis. "Wait!" she cried out. "I can't run away now! She'll go after my friends and family!"<p>

"Celestia drill my backside!" Nightcanter grunted. "If you keep struggling, I'll kill them myself! Stay still, Pinkie Pie, we'll take care of this!"

Pinkie watched in horror as the first legionnaires dropped to the ground. The yellow haze was already starting to seep out of the alley. She heard ominous music, as if something even more horrible than Sablesteel was about to burst into the alley at any moment. Thoughts of that awful smoke seeping into the rock farm, Sugarcube Corner, even the rest of Ponyville, began to fill her head.

'Oh no! She's started already!' Pinkie remembered one more trick that Copper Mane taught her and fought through the headache. With a flash of colors, Nightcanter's telekinesis broke.

Pinkie Pie took three steps before falling face first to the ground. The headache sent the world spinning. It was impossible to even take two steps in the same direction. The swirl of ley energy was just ahead of her, all she needed to do was reach out and try something. The colors faded when her hoof touched them. A second later, everything was dark.

* * *

><p>Despite the poison gas obscuring her vision, Sablesteel could still spot her target. When Pinkie Pie passed out, she decided that it was time to end the mission for the time being. Once she woke up, Pinkie Pie would have that quiet moment of introspection that would determine if she had what it takes to bring more out of the Element of Joy or not. Sable had to give it to her "partner" as well. Octavia had not overdone things despite the temptation. There were only a few minor problems to deal with. The lead unicorn had cast a spell that was causing Sable's poison gas to dissipate. It wouldn't be long until that pegasus in her squad would have a clear line of sight. With a flap of her wings, Sable dove into the thicker portions of the cloud, swooped past the fallen legionnaires and aimed a needle thrust at where the unicorn's neck would be.<p>

To Sable's surprise she stabbed something else before she could even come close. She puled her hoof back and saw that the needle was covered in blood. Who had she just stabbed? The yellow haze suddenly vanished. As did most of her surroundings. Replacing them was a darkness that swallowed her in its depths.

"Sable…why have you done this?"

Sable stared in horror as her grandfather shuffled towards her. He stood out in the dark as if he was lit by an unseen spotlight. His neck spurted blood on her coat. It was easy to recognized the badly burned skin, the bad eye, the lack of a mane and tail, and the patches of coarse blue hair all over his body. Ice Carver, the last of the Blackmoon Blades, ultimately paid for his stubborn dedication. His laboratory exploded while he was perfecting a chemical mixture, leaving him a disfigured wreck for the rest of his days and earning him an insulting nickname that remained long after memory of his real name had faded. "You're dead," she whispered.

"Wretched filly, how many times must you spit on our memory?" His voice sounded nothing like how Sable remembered. That she couldn't tell if it was because this was a fake, or that it was her own memory that was flawed, left an ache within her. "I taught you the lore so you may remember, not so you could disgrace us!"

The stone-paved ground cracked, then burst as more ponies rose all around Sable. Their faces had decayed and some of their limbs hung only by a tendon or two, but she recognized a few of them. They were her grandfather's comrades, the last remnants of a fallen order. One by one, they died until he remained. They clung to her, the cloying smell of rot penetrating even her breather mask. She struggled to break free. 'This is an illusion,' she thought. 'Some unicorn mage thinks she can play tricks on me!'

The sheer power of such an illusion left Sable nervous. This spell reached into her memories and created visions out of her worst fears; a phantasm, as Lion Court told her once. Only a very powerful illusionist could do this. Perhaps she had underestimated the unicorn mare earlier. Still, there were ways to break out of such a spell. Before the corpses of the Blackmoon Blades could pry her hooves apart, she switched one foreleg device into a blade, then stabbed her flank, sending a burst of pain coursing through her body. Even the pain of a poisoned wound felt good compared to the agony of watching her memories twisted like this.

The vision did not fade.

Sable fought back a sense of rising panic. The idea that this may not be an illusion, but her actual punishment, crossed her mind. The corpses held her tightly now, leaving her unable to move an inch.

"Don't bother hurting yourself anymore, I have you well and fully trapped."

Sable didn't recognize the voice, but the regal tone of it made it easy to tell who it was. Out of the darkness, Princess Luna walked out, her face a grim mask of determination. "You are very brave, thorn, for conducting your business here in Canterlot. I have you, though. You will lead us to your mistress." The alicorn removed the breather mask with her telekinesis.

"Alright, I'll tell you if you take away these visions," Sable said.

"Tell me then."

Sable muttered some words and garbled them on purpose.

"What?" Princess Luna asked. She leaned a little closer, her ears perking.

Sable took the opportunity and spat. The glob of phlegm and saliva landed squarely on Princess Luna's snout. The alicorn looked at it in disgust, then simply cast a spell to clean herself. "I wouldn't tell you where I piss, moon princess," Sable snarled. "Why don't you just kill me? You've already slain all the Blackmoon Blades! Finish the job!"

The outburst caught Princess Luna off guard and it only added to Sable's rising fury. The mighty Princess of the Night probably never even heard of the Blackmoon Blades. Sable was more than happy to show her.

A great flash of golden light suddenly erupted from behind Sable. The visions vanished and she found herself able to move. Before she could, she felt herself caught in the grip of a powerful telekinetic spell. After a second, she was pulled back into the portal she had used. The door slammed, then simply disappeared as Black Rose destroyed yet another secret entrance to Canterlot. The breather mask fell just a foot away as Sable regained her bearings. She was back at the hideout. Not only that, she was inside Black Rose's quarters.

"Cutting it a little too close are we, Sable?" Black Rose asked. She was reclining on her bed, once more going through the dozens of magical images she used to keep track of her agents.

"I was done for at that point," Sable said. "I'm ready for whatever punishment you have."

"No need," Black Rose said. "The Element of Joy did spark. Not much, but it certainly reacted to all that put down you kept giving poor Pinkie Pie. Good work, Sablesteel."

Sable nodded. She was about to leave when Black Rose spoke again.

"Sable, you do realize that the bearers can't actually 'quit'?"

"It was a test," Sable replied.

"Oh really…how much of it, I wonder?"

"Just enough."

Sablesteel closed the door and returned to her quarters. She passed by Octavia, who bowed politely when they walked past each other. Once she was alone, she looked at the breather mask, the same breather mask that her grandfather designed. The cracks on one of the eyes had lengthened. The entire thing was in need of some serious repair.

_"You are a thorn not a blade."_

With a snort, Sablesteel hurled the mask to one corner of the room.

* * *

><p>Luna walked through the halls of the Royal Palace in a bad mood. She had a thorn. A thorn! She had one land on her hoof and she let it slip away! Some of the guards flinched and looked away when she walked past them to get to Terrato's quarters. Several hours had passed since that incident. She had to personally heal Pinkie Pie, who was suffering from prolonged exposure to poisonous gas. Even though Pinkie Pie was not in any grave danger, the sight of the normally cheerful pony lying depressed on a hospital bed was difficult to take. Of course, whatever discomfort Luna felt was nothing compared to Fluttershy who never left her friend's side.<p>

After that, Luna spent the rest of the day helping Special Operations track down any remaining portals that connected Black Rose's base to Canterlot. Each time they found one, Black Rose destroyed it. It was a frustrating task but their enemy couldn't go back and forth into the capital from now on.

Terrato had just flown in from some business in the Great Delve. He had been gone for days now and wasn't around when Rarity fought against Lion Court, or when Rainbow Dash was reported missing. Luna didn't buy the story of problems in the Delve entirely. Celestia had secretly dispatched Wax Wing, another one of the royal nephews, to the Great Delve in order to observe the Barrier Lands capital. Wax Wing had reported earlier that day that Terrato had indeed stopped by the Delve, but only for a short while. That left a great deal of missing time.

That wasn't what Luna was going to pry into for now. Sablesteel had said something that left her curious. She flung the doors to Terrato's quarters open with her magic and found her brother by his desk.

"This better be important, Luna." Terrato didn't glance back, but he did put aside the papers he was working on.

"Big brother, what can you tell me about the Blackmoon Blades?"

"They're dead."

Luna held back a snort. It looked like she wasn't the only one whose endeavors had resulted in a foul mood. "Not all of them it seems," she said.

Terrato turned around. "Reports have already rolled in," he said. "You had a run in with Sablesteel of the Thorns." His horn glowed briefly and the doors shut behind Luna. "Like I said, they're dead. Contrary to what you may be thinking right now, Sablesteel is not a Blackmoon Blade."

"She accused me of destroying them," Luna insisted. "I've never heard of this group in my life."

Terrato snorted, then smiled a bit. Luna felt a little offended. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"It's a strange feeling," Terrato replied. "I can understand why you have no idea who these ponies were, but I still feel that you should have known about them." When Luna stayed silent, Terrato went on. "You created the Blackmoon Blades, little sister. Except that, during the time you did, they were called something else. Starlight Sentinels, I think."

Luna's eyes narrowed. Starlight Sentinels. There was a name she recognized. A long, long time ago she found herself the center of unwanted reverence. Ponies were starting to treat her as a patron of thieves, burglars, and other miscreants who used the night to hide their less than noble deeds. In response, she formed the Starlight Sentinels, a group dedicated to watching the night for such things.

"When you left for the Heartland, they and a bunch of other groups were left to fend for themselves," Terrato went on. "A few simply disbanded. Some just went on as if nothing had happened. The Starlight Sentinels went through a lot of changes. I don't know the details. It's probably written in some history book over at the Delve. Decades later, they were the Blackmoon Blades, a group less interested in catching criminals and more interested in assassinating anything that might be the reason why their moon princess doesn't want to stick around anymore. They got really good at it too. At the peak of their power, the Blackmoon Blades had all sorts of stories attached to them. Apparently, swearing by the moon and not keeping your word was enough for their agents to hunt you down, make you disappear, and nail your tongue on the front door of your relatives. They scared even the ophidites with their proficiency in poisons."

"And what happened after that peak?" Luna asked.

"Nightmare Moon happened," Terrato replied. Luna cast her eyes to the ground. Of course, why didn't she think of it to begin with? "When news of what you tried to do spread to the Barrier Lands, it spelled the end of any group still related to you: the Night Parade, the Moonlight Rondo…nearly all of them simply walked away and scattered. A pity too. I kind of liked the Rondo. What was their motto again? "The day is for devotion and the night is for passion". They got up to a lot of interesting things with their monthly gatherings."

"The Blackmoon Blades?" Luna asked.

"What did you expect?" Terrato asked. "Recruitment dried up. They were under suspicion of being an insane cult dedicated to Nightmare Moon so a lot of their members just left. It was over. Some small fragment tried to stay together led by somepony called "Charred the Insane Apothecary". They died out in the end."

"Where does Sablesteel come in?"

Terrato's eyes narrowed. "Sablesteel is Charred's granddaughter and heiress to all of what remained of the Blackmoon Blades. Black Rose found her slogging through a camp of melted ophidites on a suicide mission, then recruited her. Does that satisfy your curiosity, Luna?"

Luna nodded and left her brother to his work. She could now understand that sudden rage from the thorn and she did feel responsible in a way. She remembered the face she found when she removed that insect-like mask. Now, she had a face to put on those ponies she left behind in her foalishness. 'One day I will make amends," she thought. "To all you who tried to hold on. First, I will show you a Princess of the Night that you all should have gotten at the start."


	37. The Rift

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 37: The Rift**

"Are you sure you should be keeping up this kind of pace, Rainbow Dash?" Scarlet asked. "You still look pretty wobbly to me."

"Yes, I'm sure," Rainbow said through grit teeth. All his worrying was starting to annoy her. First there was that weird incident with the sniper pegasus who shot her flank, now Scarlet Rabbit was fussing over her as if she might drop dead any moment!

To be fair, she did come down with a fever, just like that sniper said. They had to stop early so she could conserve her strength. She attributed her feeling better the following morning mostly to her sheer willpower, but was willing to concede that the disgusting boiled leaf juice that the sniper forced her to drink may have helped too. She still felt a bit weak, and that slowed them considerably, but she wasn't going to lie around and let Scarlet "nurse" her even if she was reduced to a slow hover. She was also relieved that Scarlet had not taken advantage of her complete inability to chase after him to go back to flying after this Hassyth creature he was raving about. It was his excessive concern that was likely holding him in place. Rainbow hated the thought of being some kind of damsel he was watching over, and consoled herself with the notion that she was probably doing more in keeping him alive than the other way around.

"I'm going to fly up and check things out," Scarlet said. Rainbow didn't get a word in before he was already past the trees.

With Scarlet out of sight for a short time, Rainbow's thoughts went to the other pony who was, for some reason, also looking out for her. She read the notes distributed throughout the Legion. She knew who he was: Longstride, pegasus sniper, agent of Black Rose. She had to admit that she was expecting an elite officer of Black Rose to look more ominous: huge muscles, scary black armor with lots of spikes, a skull-shaped helm, a giant barbed sword, and all that. The pegasus who had trained his bow at her yesterday wore nothing but a simple set of mottled, gray leather barding. He had a woodland brown coat and a long, disheveled mane of dark green that looked more like he had a canopy of messy leaves for hair. He was also lean for a stallion, with a face that looked a bit haggard. Up to that part, he just looked like somepony who spent too much time in the woods.

But there were also the strange things about him. His eyes were the weirdest eyes she had ever seen, even weirder than Vanguard Clash's. They didn't even look like eyes. They looked as if somepony had stuck a pair of gold coins where his irises should be. She could have sworn there was even writing on them. And his bow…that thing was huge, about as tall as he was while standing on his hind legs, with a gracefully curving shape that reminded her of a stag's antlers. It looked like fine polished wood, she could see the whorls on it, and it was also covered with weird symbols.

Rainbow didn't know what to make of that sniper. He was the one who shot her, letting her get captured by that snake monster. The dull ache where her cutie mark was reminded her of that each time she felt it. He was the enemy. That he was working for Black Rose should make that clear enough even without the arrow to her flank. Yet, he also saved her from that brutish pony slave back then, and he made her drink what might be medicine. It just didn't make sense. What did he want? What did Black Rose want? That he might be out there, keeping a close watch on her, just left this uncomfortable twinge in her gut. Did he have an arrow aimed at her this very second? Did he watch her sleep last night? That would be disturbing on an equal level as Clover the Clever's hideout. She shook her head. She shouldn't focus on that thought or she'd never be able to sleep again.

Rainbow gave a cry of surprise when Scarlet suddenly burst through the canopy above her, and landed just a foot away. "What was that for, Scarlet?" she asked angrily. "Are you trying to startle me to death?"

"I spotted them!" Scarlet said excitedly. "The Captain and the rest of Third Squad! They're still a bit far but I saw them!"

"Great!" Rainbow exclaimed. She let some of Scarlet's enthusiasm infect her. "Did you call out to them?"

The broad grin on Scarlet's face disappeared. "Uh…no," he said.

The exultation of the moment dissipated. "Why not?" Rainbow asked.

Scarlet's lips twisted in silence for a while. "Dunno…" he finally muttered. "We'll run into them if we keep going in this direction. Let's just wait until then alright?"

Rainbow didn't argue. She wanted to fly up to see for herself, but that would take even more of her flagging strength. She concentrated on just moving forward. Vanguard, Twilight, and Applejack had come after her. They must have been chasing after her the moment she had flown off to chase Scarlet. Knowing that she was so close gave her just a bit more strength. It was just a short trip now, then she could collapse and rest. They'd be back in Canterlot soon after, and she could start trying to put this whole experience behind her. She noticed that, as the knowledge that her friends renewed her strength, it seemed to sap Scarlet's.

"Hey listen," Rainbow said. She tried to sound annoyed that he was fretting over nothing. "Vanguard's not going to kill you."

The pegasus stallion didn't reply. He flew next to Rainbow, matching her slow drifting flight. Earlier, he had a great deal of trouble doing so, flying ahead and up from time to time just to get the restlessness out of his wings. Now, it seemed that her speed suited him just fine.

"You're his friend!" Rainbow insisted. "And you're the last of his old squad."

"The Captain's a stickler for rules," Scarlet said. "He had no problem getting himself hanged. Why would he have a problem with me?"

"If he was such a stickler we'd have never met," Rainbow snapped. "Vanguard's going to do the right thing, and the right thing is not killing your friends!"

A small smile eventually forced itself on Scarlet. "I hope you're right," he said. "I kind of like being alive."

Rainbow let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't much, but at least it was something. To her dismay, however, silence continued to fill the rest of their trip. Hours, or at least they felt like hours, began to pass as Rainbow looked for something to break the monotony. She studied their surroundings. She'd flown a long way south before, whenever Winter Wrap-Up came around, but she'd never actually taken time to look around at ground level. The green all around them was still undisturbed by winter and unbroken by any large landmark. Everywhere she looked there was something growing, something crawling, or flying, or climbing. Silence was a relative term. She and Scarlet may not be saying anything, but everything else was making a sound. Fluttershy would have been able to pick out every call or buzz coming from their surroundings, but, to Rainbow, it was all one continuous drone.

And then there was a sound that Rainbow did pick out.

"This way! The resonance is getting stronger!"

That triumphant cry was unmistakably Twilight's. For a moment, Rainbow forgot that she was tired and weak. She burst through the thick foliage, dodging trees and swatting away vines, as she rushed towards that sound. Scarlet Rabbit was right behind her. "Twilight!" she shouted. "Applejack! Vanguard!"

"Good work, Twilight," Vanguard Clash said.

"Rainbow!" Applejack called out. Rainbow could hear the earth pony choke a bit. "You crazy filly! You're in for a lot of trouble! I oughta-!"

There was no time to say anything else. Rainbow crashed right into Applejack. The two of them fell into a tangled ball of laughter and relief. For a while, Rainbow forgot everything else save for knowing that she was with friends once more.

"How'd you know I was close?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight lifted several strands of brightly colored hair with her magic. "Tracking spell," she said. "I'm still trying to improve its range, but it did the job for now."

Rainbow didn't notice how much time was passing by while they were like that, but reality eventually had to seep back in, and it did so using the growling tone of Vanguard Clash.

"Scarlet," Vanguard said grimly.

"Yeah, Captain?"

Rainbow broke free of her friends to see what was going on. The way Vanguard stood in front of Scarlet didn't say anything of two friends being reunited. The red pegasus looked as if he was awaiting judgment.

"What were the two of you doing out in some isolated spot where you could get captured without anypony noticing?"

"We uh…" Scarlet's gaze shifted for a bit, and then his tone fell into that of a defeated pony's. "We were looking for a spot to race," he said.

"You tried to race her against my orders," Vanguard continued. He thrust one end of his weapon into the damp forest floor. "I made it perfectly clear, didn't I? If you race Rainbow Dash and she gets hurt…"

"I know, Captain," Scarlet said.

Vanguard removed the sheaths from his two-bladed sword. "You are about to be executed," he said. "If you have anything to say, do so now."

"Yeah…sorry for the trouble, Captain."

Vanguard bit into the handle, and raised his weapon.

"Wait!" In a heartbeat, Rainbow was standing between Vanguard and Scarlet with her forelegs raised to block the killing strike. "What are you doing?" she asked Vanguard angrily.

"What I said I would do," Vanguard replied after setting the weapon down again. "Out of the way, Rainbow Dash. This is between me and Scarlet."

"Hold on now, Vanguard," Applejack said. "I don't see why you have to kill Scarlet. I know he's trouble but-!"

"What happened with Overcast was his last chance," Vanguard said. "I was the first one to speak up for him. I took the chance because I thought that he was still a good pony despite his issues. This is the last straw."

"That blade better be sharp," Rainbow said. She swallowed nervously, but her eyes were hard. "Cause it's going through me first."

"Or I could knock you out and out of the way," Vanguard said.

Rainbow pressed her lips together in frustration. He was right. She was tired and weak, likely unable to fly out of the way from an attack. She looked to Twilight. The purple unicorn had always been the one who could talk to Vanguard. "Twilight, say something here!" she said.

Rainbow could not help but shudder when she saw the grim look on Twilight's face as the unicorn looked away. "He did put you in danger," Twilight said. "Vanguard told me everything along the way. You're the bearer of the Element of Loyalty. Equestria needs the Elements of Harmony complete. If that ophidite had succeeded-!"

"But she didn't!" Rainbow protested.

"And if he does something like this again?" Twilight asked harshly. "He's already shown that he'll even go against Vanguard." Her voice lowered. "Protect Equestria. No matter the cost."

"No, he won't," Rainbow said. She couldn't believe she was hearing this from Twilight Sparkle. She glanced at Applejack, and nearly quailed at the sight. The earth pony was glaring at Twilight. Rainbow ignored them for now and focused on the situation. Her voice softened as she went on. "I'm done racing him. I don't need to know if I can really beat him or not. I swear this won't happen again."

Applejack took her eyes off Twilight. "Vanguard, don't do this," she said. She walked closer and placed a hoof over the other earth pony's shoulder, looking at him imploringly. "You'll hurt yourself a heck of a lot more than this'll help anypony."

Vanguard took another step forward. Rainbow shut her eyes on instinct, fearing a blow from one of his tramplers. "Let's head back," he finally said. Rainbow opened his eyes in shock. She heard the words, but it was only when Vanguard started to walk away did she really believe that he said them. She looked to her other friends. Twilight merely had a look of resignation on her face as she moved on. Applejack shared in Rainbow's relief. "Vanguard-"! Rainbow started.

"The two of you will be disciplined for this," Vanguard said. "But I'll trust you, Rainbow Dash. Maybe you can keep him out of trouble better than I can after this."

"I will," Rainbow said. She looked at Scarlet, glad that the ordeal was over. The red pegasus was still slack-jawed with surprise.

"I said let's go," Vanguard called after them.

Rainbow was about to follow suit when her gaze fixed on Twilight and Applejack.

All her life, Rainbow Dash had never considered herself emphatic. She spoke her mind when she wanted to and however she wanted to. It was harsh sometimes, but she expected everypony to do the same. Still, she saw the way her two friends walked next to each other, and understood something without anypony saying anything. Something was standing between these two; something big and imposing. She didn't feel the least bit scared when she rammed that wall of blackness that Nightmare Moon conjured up. This thing, on the other hoof, frightened her.

* * *

><p>Luna made her way to the Chamber of Elements, hope and apprehension putting a great deal of hurry in her steps. The morning after that incident with Pinkie Pie, Terrato had called for a meeting with his sisters. She had hoped for several things with that gesture of his. First, that he would explain where had been for the past several days. Second, this would signal an increased willingness on his part to share information. Of course, those hopes came with worries. This was likely troubling news. Even before the division, Terrato wasn't the sort to call his sisters over because he found an unusual flower, or because he wanted to share a cake he just baked.<p>

When she entered the chamber, her older siblings were already there. The Chamber of Harmony also still housed Clover the Clever's angry mixture of a spellbook and a journal. Her siblings had refused to let her read any more of it for fear of once again coming into contact with Oceanus. She would have protested against this sort of coddling, but all she had to remember was that moment when she was drowning in the firstborn's presence to find it easy to agree with the decision.

"Terrato, what has happened to Rainbow Dash?" Celestia was asking when Luna had stepped in.

"Special Operations First Squad has already turned in a report," Terrato replied. "Rainbow Dash had been captured by an ophidite slaver, but she has been rescued. Unfortunately, she decided to fly off somewhere with Third Squad in pursuit. He winced at the sight of Celestia's growing concern. "So she's not as much in danger as before, but she's probably still in danger until she gets back here."

"What about the ophidite, big brother?" Luna asked.

"The vipren is in the dungeons. We can talk about her later. There are more pressing matters."

"We're listening then," Celestia said. Luna nodded as well.

"We have to prepare for Gravitas's imminent arrival." Terrato said.

"Imminent?" Celestia asked indignantly. "Even without Lexarius or me to oppose him, he doesn't have that kind of influence over the Council of Elders!"

"Certainly not enough to convince the majority to destroy all mortals," Terrato replied. "But enough to convince them to let him secure things like restoring your power and making sure that the Foul Weapon is untouched? I think he does."

"Big brother, how would he know that the Foul Weapon is involved?" Luna asked.

"Magnus," Terrato said. "Oh, don't bother being shocked," he added when both sisters' eyes widened. "He's not obligated to hide any information he picks up. Gravitas could have just trotted over to the Great Library and asked if anything interesting had happened. Magnus would have said everything."

"Perhaps, but how can you be so sure of Gravitas's movements?" Celestia asked. Luna could see the lines around her sister's jaw. Even during her time in the Herd, she had never met Gravitas before. She didn't know what kind of pony could elicit this sort of reaction from her sister. More than ever, she didn't want to change that even as it was becoming more and more clear that it was inevitable.

"That leads me to some other things the two of you must know," Terrato replied.

Luna felt herself tense. There were a lot of things that she wanted to know that her brother wasn't exactly forthcoming with. The royal nephews and nieces, save for Blueblood, were busy just trying to keep her and her sister abreast of all the changes happening all throughout Equestria. Despite his word, Luna was hard-pressed to rely on her brother's legionnaires, especially his Special Operations ponies.

"Gravitas has been more involved with Equestria than we had believed," Terrato said. He stopped at that point, and Celestia's eyes narrowed at his silence.

Luna looked to her brother worriedly. If he closed himself off now, they were in danger, in deep danger. She didn't think it too much of an exaggeration to say that Equestria could very well fall if he shut down now. As the seconds passed, she could practically feel the sweat form on her brow despite the cool air in the chamber. Much to her relief, it seemed as if Terrato was merely bracing himself. When he spoke, she could feel a sense of elation well up inside.

"There's something I have to tell the both of you about Black Rose's plans."

Terrato's words seemed to cast a deep shroud of solemnity around the Chamber of Elements. Luna listened intently, and she saw her sister do the same while their brother began explaining what he had been doing the past few days...

It was Celestia who was the first to react by the time their brother was finished. She stomped a hoof against the floor, her face contorted by anger. "Fiend!" she exclaimed. "He would assassinate me and use it to justify destroying everything I've tried to protect? How can he go so far?"

It didn't surprise Luna at this point that her sister couldn't stop focusing on Gravitas. The extent of Black Rose's plans and how much of it was willingly revealed to Terrato left her confused. Black Rose made it seem as if she only wanted to help Equestria, but how much of what she said could they trust? And her methods...Luna couldn't accept them. She refused to accept them, and she was glad that Terrato was on the same page when it came to this. "Can't we just let the rest of the Eternal Herd know about what Gravitas has been doing?" she asked.

"We could certainly try," Terrato said. "Except that it's well known that we oppose Gravitas to begin with so a story that discredits him would be a little suspicious. Besides, we have nothing to offer as proof save the words of a mortal who stole Celestia's power."

"Mother would believe us," Celestia said.

"Any idea on how to contact her?" Terrato asked. "Applejack's met some success, maybe we can ask her to deliver a message."

Celestia glared at Terrato for the unneeded joke. "I don't know. Even if we had a way, if mother had any intentions of halting Gravitas, she should have acted by now. It falls to us to protect Equestria from him."

"Gravitas doesn't have a lot of free rein even if he gets the authority to come here," Terrato said. "But we can anticipate two points. The first is the Blasphemous Rift." He looked over to Celestia. "If Chrysalis and her changelings make so much as a peep of a protest, he'll be happy to wipe them out."

"I've made a great deal of progress with them," Celestia said. "I will make sure that they survive this."

"The other point will be Regia Carnifex, am I correct?" Luna asked.

Terrato nodded. "He'll demand custody over such a high-ranking member of Oceanus's rebellion. He'll probably want to just destroy Regia Carnifex as well."

"I don't see why we can't give him over," Luna said. "If Black Rose needs him to open the seals to the Rift, she'll find it difficult to get to him with Gravitas in the way. If he is destroyed, she'll have to find another way to get to the Foul Weapon."

"I do not like the idea of letting Gravitas have anything," Celestia said. "Even some small compliance on our part may be enough to grant him a foothold in Equestria. As for just slaying Regia Carnifex, that would be too risky. If he is slain, his power might radiate from him. The Foul Weapon could very well resonate, breaking its seals anyway. There is also one more thing that I've been considering about Regia Carnifex. For that reason, I don't want him to be simply destroyed."

"Big sister, we can't just oppose Gravitas for the sake of opposing him," Luna said. "If he does come here, it will be with some authority from the Council of Elders. Antagonizing them may not be so wise."

"True," Terrato said. "We can't afford having them not help us even more." He raised a hoof to interrupt Luna. "No, little sister, I see your point. That being said, I don't plan on just handing Regia Carnifex over." He looked over to Celestia. "You must have noticed it as well."

"What do you the two of you mean?" Luna asked. "What are we going to do with him?"

"Think about why Regia Carnifex didn't end up where Oceanus and the rest of his rebels went," Terrato said. "Or why Nightmare Moon never tried to free him."

"It is also true that we've never encountered Starswirl the Bearded even though Clover the Clever's hold on him should have expired while we were still in the Eternal Herd," Celestia added. "A pony of such power would have been known easily. That he would recognize the alicorn that his apprentice found is something to consider as well."

Realization dawned on Luna. "Starswirl the Bearded was against the spread of Oceanus's power. Now you're saying that he's actually-!"

"We can't be sure yet," Celestia went on. "But we have to wake him to find out." She looked to Terrato. "That was what you were going to propose, wasn't it?"

"I know that there is some risk involved," Terrato said. "But-!"

"I will agree to this," Celestia said.

"Big sister!" Luna exclaimed. "Perhaps you're being a bit rash!"

Celestia shook her head. "Certainly, a great deal of preparations must be made," she said. "The two of you will have much to do. We must only weaken his bonds as to make sure he does not break loose in case we're wrong. If we wake him before his proper time, he will not be at his full strength, and he can be resealed with the proper spells."

"Having the Elements of Harmony on standby would be helpful," Terrato said. "I also don't think Gravitas will like finding out that we've been tinkering with Carnifex's seal." His smiled widened a bit at that.

"A pity," Celestia said dryly.

"And what do we stand to gain from all this?" Luna asked.

"We get to find out just what the Foul Weapon is," Terrato said. "If necessary, how we can retrieve it for ourselves and how to counter it should it fall into the wrong hooves. We might even get ourselves an ally."

"Using it is out of the question," Celestia said. "But we stand to gain a lot otherwise. There is still the matter of Black Rose."

"Black Rose's time is limited," Terrato said. "If we stay vigilant and keep her from acquiring the Foul Weapon, Celestia's power will consume her, and make its way back." His tone darkened. "Of course, she's going to make her move before then. We just have to be ready."

"Well, it looks like we have a plan," Luna said. She wasn't quite sure about the strategy for Black Rose. She had the feeling there were still a few details that Terrato didn't share. Nevertheless, she watched her two siblings with some admiration. This looked like progress. She dearly wanted to believe that this was progress.

"Let's go then," Celestia said. "There is much to do."


	38. A Hero of Equestria

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 38: A Hero of Equestria**

_"SLICE! SLICE! SLICE! SLICE!"_

_The triumphant shouts that came from what seemed to be hundreds of ponies left Applejack exhilarated and bewildered all at once. What was happening here? She recalled going to sleep after a day's traveling, and now she was standing somewhere. The ground under her hooves was the dry, rocky ground of a hill or a mountain, not the damp, forest floor that she should be sleeping on. A second later, Applejack realized that she was not even looking at her hooves. The usual orange-furred legs attached to her were a deep russet in color and were much larger._

_'What in tarnation-?'_

_There was little time to ponder that sudden change, however. Applejack found herself walking up the steep slope of a hill despite not wanting to. She heard a familiar jingling around her neck, and realized that she was still wearing Apple Slice's magic chain. The crowd gathered downhill of where she was continued to chant. As she reared up and raised a hoof to their delighted uproar, it was becoming more and more clear to her that she was wearing something more than just Apple Slice's chain._

_For a few minutes, Applejack simply looked on as "she" stirred up the crowd of, what she guessed were legionnaires, with a fierce neigh and a few twirls from her lasso._

_"SLICE! SLICE! SLICE! SLICE!" the crowd continued to chant. Most of them were earth ponies in heavy barding, stomping at the ground and rearing joyously at the display. There was no hiding the bloody bandages that covered many of them. Several had their forelegs in slings, while a couple of them were missing an eye. None of these things could dampen the cheer._

_Eventually, Applejack began to walk downhill along with several ponies. She didn't recognize a single one of them but they looked at her as if they had known her all their lives. The closest to her was a gaunt earth pony stallion with a light yellow coat and a curly, light green mane. He kept in pace with Applejack while the others walked ahead. It was then that Applejack realized that she had a limp on her left hind leg. Nopony else seemed to have noticed save for this pony._

_"Another good fight, Apple Slice," the yellow earth pony said. The smile on his face lessened a bit. "Are you going to be alright?"_

_"Just a bad landing after that ursan tossed me around a bit."_

_"Maybe we should have a medic get a better look at it. It might be something bad."_

_"Are you that worried about my health, Grapevine, or are you looking out for one the Legion's tools?" Apple Slice asked._

_"One doesn't cancel out the other," was the impassive reply._

_Applejack felt "her" mouth move each time she "spoke", but it wasn't her voice that came out. This Grapevine stallion called her "Apple Slice" confirming her suspicions once and for all._

_"So what's next for you then?" the yellow earth pony asked._

_"Home, Grapevine, home," Apple Slice replied. "I've got a lot to do when I get there. Peel's already expecting his first foal. I haven't even met his wife yet!"_

_The smile on Grapevine's face completely disappeared. "Should we expect you to return?" he asked in a low voice._

_Apple Slice didn't reply right away. When he did, it was in a voice as low as Grapevine's. "Family first, Grapevine," he said. "You understand, don't you?"_

_"What I understand is that the Legion needs you, Slice," Grapevine replied. "The Apple Family will still have the safety of the Heartland where they can sow and harvest their crops in peace. Morale will drop if mighty Apple Slice chose to leave the Legion for the Heartland, among the earth ponies especially. You're a hero and an inspiration to all of us, the first we can proudly say to match the likes of Ash Frost and Storm Rage. You can't just disappear into the Heartland and never be heard from again!"_

_Applejack felt Apple Slice's jaw clench in frustration before he replied. "Hero!" he said with a snort. "You and the others keep using that word! If I've ever been a hero, it would be because I knew what I was fighting for! Every battle I charge into, I think of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters. How am I supposed to be this hero everypony sees knowing that I will never see or hear from them ever again?"_

_"And would you be happier in the Heartland instead?" Grapevine asked. The outburst from Apple Slice did little to aggravate or cow him. "Would you rather be Apple Slice, the farmer who can't farm or Apple Slice, the shepherd who scares his own flock? Can you sit down and enjoy your harvest while your brothers and sisters in the Legion fight on without you? Maybe you can find some other trade, but could you settle down knowing that the war goes on without you helping?"_

_"I can't," Apple Slice replied with a snort. "What am I supposed to do, Grapevine? Forget my family and fight on 'for Equestria'? Equestria's too big and it has no face. What am I supposed to think of before I lay my life out on the line? A flag? A map?" He ground his teeth. Applejack could only sympathize with her ancestor. She didn't know the entirety of the situation, but she had a good feel of it. This was probably just right before the division. 'He's not an insane killer," she thought with some relief. It wasn't much though. There was still the chance that he may end up as one later on, especially if he had to keep making decisions like this one._

_"What this division is making you do is tragic, but I know you'll make the right choice," Grapevine said. "It's the burden you have to carry as a hero of Equestria."_

_"I don't want to be a hero of Equestria!" Apple Slice snarled "I just want to be Apple Slice, the earth pony who did his part, and got himself a little happiness along the way!"_

_The two didn't speak again until they eventually made it to a large camp, where legionnaires of different kinds were busy packing and loading things into wagons. Applejack guessed that whatever the reason Apple Slice's group was here for was done. Apple Slice suddenly looked up, allowing her to notice a pegasus flying towards them._

_"Captain Apple Slice!" the pegasus called out. He opened one of his saddlebags, and pulled out an envelope before mumbling out the rest of his message. "Letter for you!"_

_"Give it to me quickly!" Apple Slice said. The sudden urgency in his tone took the messenger aback a bit but he complied soon enough._

_"How odd, you already received a letter from your family just last week," Grapevine said. "Why would they need to follow with another one especially since you're so close to your leave?"_

_Though she couldn't hear Apple Slice's thoughts, Applejack only needed to read along to tell what he was going through. She found the letter strange, however. It was written too…impersonally. It was almost as if she were just reading the sort of report legionnaires wrote their superiors. It was signed "Apple Peel"; the same Apple Peel that Apple Slice was just talking fondly about._

_"It's about my father," Apple Slice said grimly. "He's gravely ill and needs me to come home right away."_

_"I'm sorry to hear that," Grapevine said softly. "I hope he pulls through."_

_"He doesn't think so," Apple Slice replied as he put the letter away. "Neither does Peel. That's why they wants me there as soon as possible. Likely so he can see me one last time, and make sure I'm there when his will is read." Apple Slice snorted again. "At least, father would want to."_

_"I see," Grapevine said. He put a hoof over Apple Slice's shoulder. "Not quite the homecoming you expected?"_

_Apple Slice nodded. He was about to say something, but the world seemed to grow dim to Applejack. She could only hear a few muffled sounds from what should have been Apple Slice's reply. "No!" she cried out. "I want to see more! Why did the rest of the Apples start calling him bad? What did he really do that day they had to part? Wait!" Applejack's shouting dampened with uncertainty. "Did you really just end up a 'hero of Equestria'?"_

* * *

><p>Applejack opened her eyes to find that she was back in the camp that she helped set up for the night. They had come across this clearing, and settled in early so Rainbow and Scarlet could rest. The ground was still damp and covered with fallen leaves. All around them, moss-covered trees formed a rather intimidating enclosure. Past the canopy, a full moon was shining down on them while a cold breeze blew from the north.<p>

She rubbed her eyes. What had she been dreaming? Out of impulse, she looked down on her neck where Apple Slice's chain still hung. The links were glowing. She had looked down just in time to see the light within them slowly fade. She shook her head, and looked again only to find that the links looked normal. Perhaps she was just imagining things. That dream could just have been some dream, but she doubted it. Dreams didn't feel that vivid. She put it aside and looked around.

The fire crackled and flickered, casting shadows on every sleeping pony around it. A chorus of snores brought her attention past the fire. Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit were asleep directly opposite of her. Applejack smiled, remembering that the mission was a success. Her friend had taken to protectively staying near Scarlet Rabbit, as if Vanguard Clash would sneak behind her back, and murder the pegasus stallion at the first available opportunity.

Applejack looked on for a little while longer. There was something changed about Rainbow. There was a strength in her that the earth pony admired when she stood against Vanguard. Perhaps…perhaps there was something good to be gained from this entire ordeal. She looked at Scarlet Rabbit. As confusing as it may be, perhaps his badness for Rainbow ended up doing something good.

To Rainbow's right was Twilight Sparkle. The sight of the still sleeping unicorn took away the smile on Applejack's face. Twilight's words from the previous night still stung, and what she was saying earlier only worsened things. It seemed only a few days ago that Applejack was willingly joining Twilight in banishment. Now, it felt as if she was sharing a camp with a hostile stranger. With the vision still fresh in her mind, Applejack finally had a word for it; "heroine of Equestria". Twilight was turning into the very pony that Apple Slice tried not to be; a "hero" who didn't care about the ponies in front of her, but fought for a map and a flag. She couldn't let that happen to Twilight, but what else could she do? She tried talking, only to be rebuffed harshly. What else could she say that might put things right between the two of them again?

Applejack looked away. Even just seeing Twilight left her feeling uncomfortable these days. Her gaze lingered on a figure a good distance past Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit. Once again, Vanguard had taken the first watch. He was sitting on a log with his back turned on the camp. Instead of receding, the feeling of discomfort within Applejack only increased. She had this sinking feeling that she did know what she had to tell Twilight, and that she was just desperately trying to pretend that she didn't. Looking at Vanguard only served to confirm that. She walked towards the stallion.

"It's too early to be your watch," Vanguard said without turning his head. His deep, growling tone almost broke at the way he tried to soften it.

Applejack settled right next to him. "I know," she replied. "But I woke up, and I don't think I can get back to sleep again."

Vanguard glanced over to the snoring pegasi behind them. "Understandable," he said. "Those two together can impersonate an earthquake."

Applejack noticed a strange tremble in his voice. It wasn't just that as well. As she looked more closely, it seemed as if his eyes were even brighter and redder than usual. "You alright, Vanguard?" she asked.

Vanguard turned his gaze skyward. "Full moon tonight," he said. "I don't like full moons." He looked at Applejack so quickly that she turned away, afraid that he might catch her staring. "That aside, I want to thank you, Applejack. You're right. I don't know how I'd be faring by now if I did execute Scarlet right then and there."

"Shucks!" Applejack said. "Just looking out for my captain."

"You have no idea," Vanguard said softly. "It seems I made the right choice with you." To Applejack's surprise, Vanguard suddenly extended a foreleg as if hold her by the shoulders, and pull her closer. He noticed what he was doing, however, and pulled it back hurriedly. "Sorry," he muttered. "Full moon."

Applejack felt an ache inside, as if there was a sigh in there that she didn't dare let out. She quelled an urge to snuggle against him anyway. "What do you mean by that?" she asked. She dearly hoped that she could mask the disappointment in her tone. "Does the full moon make you do things? I mean, I heard about the wolven acting especially crazy when it's out back in Bastion City but…" She shut her mouth, afraid that he'd be offended.

"I don't feel anything near like wolven moonrage," Vanguard replied. "It does become more difficult to control my impulses, though. I can't afford to get angry or feel any strong emotion for that matter."

Applejack didn't say anything right away. She felt her heart beating faster at the mention of "strong emotions". She was suddenly aware of a lot of details she hadn't been paying attention to when she sat next to the stallion, like the warmth he exuded despite all the metal he wore, and the scent emanating from him: a coalescence of sweat, damp leather straps, and the odor of a pony, but not quite, that left her tingly. There was an intensity about him tonight that made it feel as if he might jump on her at the first provocation. What she found scary was that part of her actually felt...intrigued, even excited, by the prospect.

"How are things with you and Twilight?" Vanguard asked.

The sudden question struck Applejack like a surge of lightning, jolting her out of the strange, fuzzy sensation she was letting herself sink into. Twilight…at the mention of the name, the pleasant warm feelings were gone. Applejack shivered from the nightly cold. "I…I honestly dunno," she said. "After hearing what she said today, I have no idea."

"You know, she didn't say those things to be cruel or hateful," Vanguard said. "I can understand where she's coming from."

"I can understand too," Applejack said in frustration. "But…I didn't think I'd hear it from Twilight. It's just not like her."

"The two of you have gone through some difficult things in this mission," Vanguard said. "And the two of you have different ways to cope.

"Well…yeah, that's true," Applejack said. "But aren't you worried about the things she said earlier?"

"Not as much as you do, I take it," Vanguard replied.

Applejack frowned. "You sound like you're not bothered at all," she said.

"I worry a great deal about Twilight Sparkle's safety," Vanguard said. "She likes to push herself too hard and her state of mind is also concerning. Still, the things she said earlier aren't as ominous as they may sound to be."

There was something in Vanguard's tone that Applejack couldn't help but feel a strange worry about. "Sounds like you really admire Twilight," she said.

"There are a lot of things I admire about her," Vanguard replied. "The courage to do what she believes is right, the strength to endure whatever is thrown at her. It all makes me wish I had met her sooner." His lips parted slightly in a smile. "This mission won't break her. She may have used Pyre's words, but she didn't say them with Pyre's spirit."

"I dunno," Applejack said. "There's also-!" she stopped herself, realizing just what she was about to talk about.

"What do you mean?" Vanguard asked.

Applejack pressed her lips together tightly. "N-nothing," she mumbled. Her eyes darted everywhere when she noticed Vanguard's sudden intense stare.

"I won't pry," Vanguard said. "But you're going to have to tell somepony about it at some point," He stood up and headed over to where Twilight was still sleeping. "My watch's done."

"I will tell somepony about it…" Applejack said wistfully, mostly to herself. She finally let out that sigh building within her when she was sure Vanguard was out of earshot. The stallion started prodding Twilight awake. Applejack could only brace herself as the purple unicorn walked over, and sat nearby. For the first hour or so, the two of them sat there in silence. As far as Applejack could tell, Twilight was still in the same dour mood that she has been since the previous night. She wanted to talk to the unicorn about what had happened with Scarlet Rabbit earlier, as well as their conversation the other night. But how could she go about that without being angrily brushed off? Where should she start?

Another hour passed them before Twilight finally decided to break the silence. "So, what were you and Vanguard talking about?" she asked.

Applejack felt her blood freeze. It was exactly what Rarity had warned her about. "J-just small stuff…" she said so quietly that even she could barely hear herself. She could feel her insides protest. Things were happening exactly as they did before. She found herself tongue-tied whenever Twilight mentioned Vanguard, which broke whatever attempt she made to try to talk to the unicorn. She couldn't look at Twilight, but she could feel the unicorn's stare on her. She looked around until she spotted Vanguard's sleeping form. No. This awkwardness had to end here. Vanguard was right. She had to say something at some point, and she was as backed to a wall as it was going to get when it came to this matter. "At some point…" she whispered to herself.

"What was that?" Twilight asked.

"Twilight, I got something to tell you." Applejack felt some of the hesitation melt away. Now that she had actually decided to make the effort, the words seemed to come to her. 'I'll start with the truth,' she thought. 'Can't go wrong with starting with the truth.' She looked directly at Twilight, finally matching the unicorn's stare without flinching. "You asked me before if I liked Vanguard," she said.

"And you said no," Twilight replied. "You were pretty adamant about it too."

"I lied." Applejack would have said more, but the sudden relief she felt, as if she had been dragging around a massive weight that had just been taken away, left her speechless for a few seconds. "I do like him," she finally added. "A lot. And I did join up partly because I wanted to be with him."

"You…" To Applejack's surprise, a flicker of emotion marred Twilight's face, cracking that emotionless mask she had been wearing since the other night. The unicorn's lips quivered slightly, but she recovered swiftly and her eyebrows furrowed from the strain of effort. "So what?" she finally said. Her voice took on a harsh note.

Applejack could only stare in confusion.

"A usurper is raising and lowering the sun and Equestria is still at war," Twilight spoke through grit teeth. "But, on the bright side, Applejack is in love. I guess that's worth something. Maybe Black Rose will swoon at the story, and we can kill her while she's out."

Applejack felt her front hooves twitch. She was already picturing herself sprawling in the dirt with Twilight. She could picture herself taking a fireball or a lightning bolt should she get into a scrap with the very powerful unicorn. The thought was horrifying, and not even for the obvious reason of getting hurt. She swallowed her anger, though. Vanguard saw something in Twilight that let him stay calm. She was beginning to see that too. "I should be hitting you by now, but I ain't buying that this time," she said.

It was Twilight who couldn't say anything this time.

"You got something to say too. Let me hear Twilight Sparkle talk this time 'cause the 'heroine of Equestria' has been talking too much."

The silence went on, but Applejack didn't need to say anything else. That scornful stare that Twilight had taken to using was twisting away into just anger. "How dare you…" the unicorn finally said. "You think I just flip switches to change who I am?"

"No, which is why I ain't buying that 'heroine of Equestria' act of yours anymore." Applejack's hard tone softened. "I spilled my beans. It's your turn."

Again there was silence. Twilight turned away and stared out to the still shadowy woods. Applejack looked skyward. It was going to be sunrise soon. She had tried again, tried as hard as she could, but it seemed that she was going to end up with nothing once more. She had turned her back to sit closer to the fire when she heard something.

"What else can I be?" Twilight suddenly said. Applejack whirled towards the unicorn in surprise. Twilight barely spoke above a whisper.

"Twilight…" Applejack said just as quietly.

"We've been failing so much, Applejack. Twilight continued. "We couldn't beat Nightmare Moon without breaking the elements, we couldn't protect Princess Celestia from Black Rose…we keep struggling and struggling, only to end up with nothing. Pyre Valor…she was an awful unicorn, but she got what she wanted. 'Protect Equestria no matter the cost'. Those were her words. After all the things we've been doing, they're the only things that have been comforting. It's the only reason that makes killing other ponies hurt less."

"Twilight, Pyre Valor burned her friends, burned herself, and then left us to clean up the mess," Applejack said. She didn't know much about Pyre Valor, but she saw the burn marks on Vanguard's face, and heard enough of the unicorn's actions to put conviction in her words. "Equestria doesn't need more 'heroes' like her.'

"And how do you cope, Applejack?" Twilight asked. "I'm not the only pony with bloodstained hooves here. What do you say in the face of what we did in this mission?"

"I dunno the answer to that," Applejack said. "But I know it ain't by hiding behind 'Equestria' every time we do something awful.' She let out a sigh. 'We just gotta face the truth, Twi. Equestria didn't snap that pony's neck or burn those ponies."

Twilight's hardened look softened. "Face the truth huh?" she asked. "It's going to hurt, Applejack."

Applejack smiled in return. "'Course it will, sugar cube," she said. "But, you and me, we're strong. The right kind of strong."

"I guess we are," Twilight said. She fell silent for a minute. "I'm sorry for mocking you, Applejack."

Applejack just nodded, and sat by the fire. The warmth that suffused her body right now didn't just come from the flames however.

"And, Applejack?"

"Yeah, sugar cube?"

"I like Vanguard too. A lot."

The ache was back within Applejack, but she didn't cringe from it this time. She knew that already, of course. Rarity's solution was that she back off because Twilight was "too scary". Applejack could see the reason now. In fact, she had been seeing it for a long time, but she had hoped that it would go away. It wouldn't. Yet, now that Applejack faced and knew that Twilight faced it, the whole thing wasn't as scary as it seemed. "We're just gonna see what happens then," she said confidently.


	39. A Place for Joy and Kindness

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 39: A Place for Joy and Kindness**

Several days had passed since Applejack and Twilight Sparkle had gone after Rainbow Dash. During that time, Fluttershy busied herself in the hospital, tending to every patient assigned to her, and trying to keep Redbrand calm and reasonable as he consulted with various doctors. As no news arrived about how Vanguard's group was doing, Fluttershy settled into a strange, unfeeling routine. She continued to greet each pony with a smile and a kind word, moving from one task to another as if everything was going smoothly.

Things couldn't be further from the truth. Ever since she saw the grim and worried expressions on Twilight and Applejack, and then heard the silence of the secrets that Special Operations made them keep, she began to sense that something terrible was continuing to bubble beneath the surface. She was no longer in the harsh, frigid north. She was a long way away from a besieged city full of soldiers within and surrounded by vicious invaders without. Things should be better now with the "reunification", as the legionnaires were often talking about, continuing to progress and the wolven being driven back. But they weren't. Things were even worse. At least the wolven were visible and clear in their intent. Now, her friends were being hurt by foes that appeared and disappeared as they pleased, and for reasons she couldn't understand.

And it was exactly for that reason that Fluttershy was now about to check up on another one of her friends. She trembled slightly as she opened the door to Pinkie Pie's room, remembering that moment when Princess Luna herself flew the wheezing, barely conscious, pink mare into the hospital.

When Rarity had been brought in, covered in blood-soaked bandages, Fluttershy had been shocked and panicked. Rarity was no front line fighter like Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. Even if she was, they were in Canterlot, the very heart of Equestria, not Bastion City. When it was Pinkie Pie, the pony who had nothing to do with any of the fighting, who had to be brought in, the panic was no longer there, just dread realization. There was no stopping this tide of violence that washed over all of her friends: not walls, not other legionnaires, nothing. Even now, Rarity was either working on crafting weapons and armor, or practicing with those mage blades. Whatever traces of concern she had for dressmaking had been likely cut away by that awful Lion Court. Now, it was Pinkie Pie's turn. By the time the pink pony had settled into her room, Fluttershy was horrified to find that she was already waiting for the next terrible incident.

_"You'll get your turn. I don't know what that turn's going to be but you'll get it."_

Redbrand's words never left Fluttershy. Though she threw herself into taking care of her friends, she was quietly waiting for that turn. She didn't know what would be worse though. Staying by the sidelines while they each fought and got hurt in turn, or being attacked by a Thorn herself, and ending up injured.

The mood within Pinkie's room reflected that depressing thought. The pink pony's physical injuries were minor, just a few cuts and bruises. With Princess Luna's magic, she had been purged of the poisons that coursed through her system. A couple of legionnaires had also been brought in a short while after that, along with Captain Nightcanter and her squad. The two were suffering from severe bleeding also caused by some sort of poison gas. Though worse off than Pinkie, they had also survived.

Fluttershy remained worried, however. After a few days rest, Pinkie Pie should be fine now. Except that there seemed to be one more poison still afflicting her. She remained in her room, her mane limp and straight, often just staring vacantly ahead. Visits from Rarity and that strange stallion that had come to Canterlot with her had done little to improve Pinkie's mood.

"Hello, Pinkie, are you feeling any better today?" Fluttershy asked.

The earth pony looked up briefly, and tried to muster a smile. Her lips twitched a little from the futile effort. "Hi, Fluttershy," she said softly. "A little."

That Pinkie Pie had even responded was enough for Fluttershy to believe that there was some improvement. She hummed a little tune to herself, hoping that she could liven the room up with a little music, and began tidying up.

"Fluttershy?"

"What is it, Pinkie?"

"Am I…?" Pinkie's voice faded to barely a peep. She seemed to realize that it was impossible to hear her as she was and tried to speak louder. "Am I…just birthday cakes and party hats?"

"B-birthday cakes…what?" Fluttershy stammered. "Pinkie, what are you talking about?"

"You know, you told me that before. Frivolous things. Maybe I should have listened."

"Oh no, Pinkie! That was new Fluttershy! I didn't mean all those things!"

Pinkie Pie barely seemed to hear Fluttershy's protests. "The princesses…" she said. "Oh, and the prince, are always going on about how important the Elements of Harmony are. Everypony is always about fighting these days." She looked down to her chest where the Element of Joy would have been hanging. "I thought that being the bearer of the Element of Joy would be wonderful, but all I'm doing is holding ponies down, and putting them in danger! Where does Joy come in when nopony wants to be happy and smiling? When all they want to do is fight? I think…I think I should quit."

"Pinkie Pie…" Fluttershy found herself unable to answer. The question had quickly found itself a mirror image within her. Where did kindness fit into all of this fighting?

"The only way to quit is to die," was the deep-voiced reply. Fluttershy gasped and turned around to see who had entered a room. She found only a pretty, blue-maned unicorn mare leaning against the door frame. Puzzled, she walked past the mare, and looked outside. She saw nopony save for a couple of heavily-barded legionnaires just a few feet away. They looked back at her wordlessly and expectantly until she looked away.

"Excuse me, miss," Fluttershy said to the mare next to her politely. "Did you see some stallion walk in here for a moment to say something?"

"No," the mare replied. Her deep, masculine voice left Fluttershy confused. "But I did walk in here and say something."

"Oh…my…well…um…" the yellow pegasus didn't know exactly what to say. Should she apologize? She felt like she should apologize, but she usually felt that way about almost anything she does that involved other ponies.

Pinkie was less hesitant. Her eyes narrowed at the unicorn's words. "Who are you?" she asked.

"My name is Blue Moon, former captain of the Thorns," the unicorn replied. He, Fluttershy decided to assume that this pony was a "he", said both the name and title confidently even as her eyes widened. A quick glance towards Pinkie showed the earth pony's similar reaction.

"You-!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "You're a Thorn! Just like Sablesteel!" She looked around for something. Fluttershy guessed that it was that strange slab of rock that she was clutching when Princess Luna brought her here. She found herself frozen halfway between preparing for an attack from Blue Moon and trying to get Pinkie to calm down.

"Was," Blue Moon said. "There's no need to panic. I'm not your enemy anymore. Even if I was, you can see that I am horn-locked, and my escorts are just outside."

Pinkie's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but she stopped moving about in a panic. Fluttershy remembered the two legionnaires standing nearby, and tried to relax. It just didn't look like Blue Moon was here to cause trouble. Just as he had mentioned, his horn had a band of metal wrapped around it with a small glowing gem embedded on the device. He didn't have any kind of weapon on him and he wore a simple, white, collared shirt instead of any kind of barding. Still, what he just said…

The mere mention of the name melted right through the awkwardness Fluttershy felt and revealed an emotion she seldom encountered within her; anger. She had encountered plenty of mean, opportunistic, and greedy creatures in her life. She had seen the sort of viciousness the wolven did. But these Thorns…they were a different sort of vile. Rarity had mentioned that Lion Court was one of them, and that another one, a pony named Longstride, was after Rainbow Dash. Now, there was Sablesteel, who seemed bent on hurting Pinkie and her loved ones. And they deliberately stayed on hurting. All of Lion Court's cuts had been made to cause as much pain and as little damage as possible. Sablesteel's poison also turned out to be very slow-acting and painful. Only monsters reveled in causing pain just for pain's sake. "Is it true?" Fluttershy asked. "You were one of the Thorns?"

"I just said that," Blue Moon replied.

"Then maybe you can stop them!" Pinkie pleaded before Fluttershy could say anything. "Please, stop them from hurting my friends! Especially Sablesteel!"

"There is no stopping them," Blue Moon said softly, his gaze apologetic. "The Thorns are committed to Black Rose's orders. Only she can tell them to stop."

"They're monsters then," Pinkie Pie said, her voice dropping in anger. "My friends and family never did anything to Sablesteel. She's going to kill them because somepony told her?"

"Is that what she told you?" Blue Moon asked. Not even a trace of emotion crossed his face at the sight of Pinkie's rising anger. Even Fluttershy began to feel some indignation at his uncaring expression. "You should consider them safe then."

Both mares were about to say something when they stopped short. It was Pinkie Pie who recovered first. "What?" she asked.

Fluttershy shook away her daze. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Sablesteel takes her work as an assassin very seriously," Blue Moon said. "She is the sole remaining heiress to a very old tradition, and she treats any failure on her part as shaming herself before the hundreds of ponies who belonged to that tradition. She would never do something so stupidly theatrical as to announce her targets. Unless assassination isn't part of her plan to begin with."

"Then-!" Pinkie Pie's angry scowl cracked as she began to brighten. "Then they're safe?" she asked. "Sablesteel won't hurt them?"

"No," Blue Moon replied. "Don't start celebrating, though. If you provoke her, she'll do something to prove a point."

Blue Moon's warning reined in some of Pinkie's enthusiasm. More than that, Fluttershy guessed that the earth pony still pondered her question. Blue Moon's words gave her hope, but that still left her in the dark about the Element of Joy. "But if she's not going to hurt them, why would she say she would?" Pinkie asked.

"Sable has been tasked to find away to draw out the power of the Element of Joy," Blue Moon replied. "She may believe that the best way to do that is to make you as miserable as possible." He snorted. "I can only suspect that she's been spending too much time with Lion Court to come up with a plan like that."

At that moment, Fluttershy felt some of her anger slip away. Finally, a trace of emotion marked Blue Moon's words. The stallion spoke of Sablesteel with concerned disapproval, the kind of tone she had heard her friends use before when she or somepony else was involved in something bad or dangerous. It was only now that she saw that he looked at the world through a set of bright blue eyes. In a second, they went from icy and confident to showing the liquid gleam of emotion. It also dawned upon her that for Blue Moon to introduce himself as "former captain of the Thorns" meant more than just identifying himself as once an enemy. These Thorns, at least some of them, were his friends, and something bad must have happened to make him abandon them despite his concern.

"Well…" Pinkie Pie mumbled. She pressed her front hooves together absentmindedly. Fluttershy guessed that Blue Moon's reactions also left the earth pony a little hesitant. "She's still pretty mean. And those poisons really hurt. If they want to make the Elements of Harmony become stronger, why don't they just help us out instead of attacking us like this?" She pressed her lips tightly for a second. "I'd like to know how to make my element grow stronger. I really do."

Blue Moon gazed downwards without a word while Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked to him expectantly. "Various reasons," he said. He opened his mouth to say more, but he stopped himself with a shake of his head. Another moment of silence passed before he spoke again. "None of them matter. The Thorns will continue to antagonize you as per their orders anyway." He looked away. "I should go now, and let you get some more rest."

Pinkie Pie was about to say more when her eyes lit up. She fell into such a thoughtful silence that Fluttershy didn't dare disturb her just to ask if she was fine. Instead, she focused on Blue Moon.

"Wait!" Fluttershy called out after the stallion. She had followed him after he left Pinkie's room and managed to catch up by the hallway. Around them, doctors, nurses and patients move through with barely a glance at them. Blue Moon paused for a moment, just before he could rejoin his two escorts, and looked back. "Why did you come here?" she asked.

"I just wanted to see how Pinkie Pie was," Blue Moon said. "Don't get me wrong, it's not out of any overwhelming concern for your friend. I wanted to see how badly Sable was willing to hurt her." He paused and actually smiled a little. "The full recovery is a relief."

"You're really worried about Sablesteel, aren't you?" Fluttershy asked.

Blue Moon moved to the side of the hallway and gestured for Fluttershy to do the same. "I worry for all the surviving Thorns save for Lion Court," he said. "Sable tends to make bad personal choices, while Stride can't be bothered to make any to begin with. If there's anything I regret over going against Black Rose, it would be leaving the group to themselves."

Fluttershy looked down on the floor. Once more, she found herself momentarily speechless and hesitant. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear more of this. Just a few minutes ago, she was thinking of how her friends' tormentors were all cruel monsters. Hearing somepony talk about them as…well, as ponies, was difficult. Blue Moon called these "monsters" by nicknames, and spoke with an affection that made her miss her friends in return. "If…if it would be alright, may I ask you something more personal?" she asked.

"I've been cooperating with the Legion since I came to the prince," Blue Moon said with a shrug. "Cooperating with the Element of Kindness's bearer won't be much of a strain."

"Why did you leave your friends if you care about them so much?"

"Because I care for other things more," Blue Moon said. The emotion in his voice was gone. "They chose to follow Black Rose after she has overstepped her boundaries. I chose to remember my place in the grand scheme of things."

"I…I see," Fluttershy looked away disappointed. She scolded herself for letting the stallion lead her on with his sympathy. What had she been expecting anyway? A tearful confession from this hardened soldier? Perhaps it was because Blue Moon looked so delicate and graceful that it made seeing him as the former leader of such a dangerous group of ponies difficult. She felt the urge to just turn around and walk back to her duties. A niggling feeling that she had to get something more from this stallion kept her in place, however.

"Is there something else?" Blue Moon asked.

"N-no, not really," Fluttershy said. "I mean-!" She stopped and closed her eyes for a moment. There was something else, she just needed to say it. Even if she had to force it out like a bad meal. "Is that really all?" She let out a sigh when she managed to ask it. A second later, she was already holding her breath nervously.

Blue Moon stared quietly at Fluttershy for a while, lips in an even, unfeeling line. Then, he snorted and gave a wry smile. "No, that's not all of it," he said. "But why the interest, Fluttershy? Just earlier, you looked like you were going to string me up in the middle of Canterlot for saying I used to be with the Thorns."

"That's not true!" Fluttershy said. She glanced sideways, avoiding Blue Moon's stare. "Well…not mostly…I mean, I didn't think about using string…or even the middle of Canterlot!"

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Blue Moon said. "Animosity towards the enemy is natural. Again, I must ask why you seem persistent about this topic."

"I'm just…I'm just trying to see you Thorns as something other than the enemy," Fluttershy said. She winced at her own answer. That sounded weak. It also sounded ridiculous. Vanguard Clash would scold her for thinking such things, just like when he scolded her for not wanting to wear those wolven-fur cloaks. Rainbow Dash would probably laugh and agree with the stallion while her other friends would just stay silent, "necessity" taking away whatever protests they felt. Blue Moon must be laughing inside already.

Blue Moon's eyes narrowed. "It's a dangerous thing you're doing, Fluttershy," he said.

"W-what do you mean?"

"Trying to sympathize. Leave the worrying about my former comrades to me. The Thorns are your enemies. That's all you should really treat them as."

Fluttershy remembered her earlier ire. It was so easy to slip into that kind of thinking; the same sort of thinking that Blue Moon was now suggesting. She had almost forgotten to see them as ponies, or even as living creatures. Almost. "No," she said, determination winning over her shyness on this rare occasion.

"No, what?" Blue Moon asked.

"I'm not just going to treat them as enemies," Fluttershy replied. "That's the easy way out!" Her defiant look softened. "How can you suggest that when you care about them?"

After a moment of confusion, Blue Moon's smile widened. "Element of Kindness, huh?" he remarked. "Maybe you do have a point, Fluttershy. My sister's strategies seldom considered that."

Fluttershy felt herself blush. The determination she felt welling up had receded and the shyness was back with a vengeance.

"You're going to need more than just your intentions," Blue Moon went on. "Or your skill in helping the wounded."

"I know that," Fluttershy said. The stallion's words reminded her of a constant frustration. The same frustration that likely plagued Pinkie Pie. "But what else can I do?"

Blue Moon paused to ponder something for a minute and then looked at her appraisingly. "When my sister was assigning the Elements of Harmony to the Thorns, I was tasked with somehow drawing out the power of the Element of Kindness." He raised his head with pride. "Leave it to Black Rose to assign me the most difficult task for her Thorns." He paused in contemplation. "Not that Joy is any less difficult."

Fluttershy lowered her gaze. "Sorry," she said.

"That wasn't meant as a rebuke," Blue Moon added. "But it does mean that you posed a different sort of task. Truth be told, I was still unsure of what can be done to that end. Information about you has given me some other details that can be improved on; your Stare ability."

The Stare. Fluttershy had always been wary of that ability of hers. She had no idea where it had come from, how she had come to have it, and what its actual purpose was. All she knew was that it had been useful on some occasions, she didn't really have much of a control over it, and that it was scary. Really scary. Her experience with Scarlet Rabbit showed her just how scary it could really be, for both the user and the one being stared at. But, if it could be used to help her friends, to frighten their enemies away without all the violence…she'd try anything.

"What can I do about it?" Fluttershy asked.

Blue Moon looked to the guards just a few feet away. He leaned closer and spoke softly. "Go to the hidden archives in the Canterlot Grand Library. You are a bearer of an Element of Harmony, a trusted pony in the eyes of our royalty. I'm sure you can find a means to access that place. Read more on the works of the pegasi of the six companions: Hurricane and Pansy. You'll find some answers for yourself."

"H-how do you know about all of this?" Fluttershy asked. That Blue Moon had to whisper left her nervous and in doubt.

"My sister has the uncanny ability to piece together conclusions from bits and pieces of information. Your ability is one that fascinates her, and puts her ill at ease. It should be no surprise that she's tracked down all possible leads, and this is her best one."

And there it was again, Fluttershy noticed. This time there was more than just a mere crack in Blue Moon's emotionless mask. He spoke of Black Rose, his sister, with unabashed affection when talking about her abilities. The only time Fluttershy encountered that mare was when Princess Celestia's power was stolen. The newly ascended alicorn didn't seem the caring sort. She had a smile that only appeared warm, but actually sent chills down Fluttershy's spine. What did Blue Moon see? She suddenly wanted to know.

Some time passed and Blue Moon noticed Fluttershy's staring. The mask was back up and he spoke to her in that emotionless tone again. "You should go right away," he said.

"But, I'm still needed here!" Fluttershy said aghast. There were patients to take care of, including Pinkie Pie. Redbrand also likely still needed her help.

"There will always be more injured," Blue Moon said. "They will be there when you leave, and they will still be there when you return. Opportunities like these are fleeting. Something grave is in the horizon. You may not get the chance again if you let this pass."

"I…" Fluttershy turned around and trotted off to find Redbrand and ask for some time off. She didn't fully trust everything Blue Moon said, but she felt a growing sense of urgency about what he spoke of.

* * *

><p>Blue Moon watched as the yellow pegasus trotted off. With her out of sight, he finally had a chance to evaluate what had just happened. He had been too open in their conversation to the point of ridiculousness. What had started out as just a quick visit to Sablesteel's target had turned into a landslide of self-revelation on his part. The yellow pegasus was surprising and proof, once again, that researching a pony as much as possible was no substitute for actually meeting her for the first time.<p>

As for his interference, Sablesteel would likely be furious if she discovered what he had told Pinkie Pie. He didn't mind. He really did think that the pegasus was approaching this the wrong way. Of course, Sable would call him arrogant for thinking he knew best.

He snorted at his own earlier boast about that matter. It wasn't really difficulty that made Black Rose assign Fluttershy to him. More like a process of elimination. Longstride and Rhapsody would have deemed Fluttershy "too weak" and would have asked permission to just kill her on sight. Sablesteel and Frenzy Heart, if he was still around, would have asked for somepony else. Lion Court would have found her "boring", and boring ponies didn't last long with him. No, it was either Black Rose personally took care of the matter or Blue Moon did.

As Blue Moon left the hospital, he glanced towards the direction of Canterlot's Grand Library. In truth, his sister was still unsure of whether to actually let Fluttershy tap into the Stare's potential, or just let the whole thing slide. He had concurred at the time, but something about the yellow pegasus's determination made him relent. Black Rose had been afraid that Fluttershy's timid disposition made her incapable of dealing with the Stare's origins and nature, things that even she could only guess at. But today's meeting let him see a determination within Fluttershy, something that hid in the depths of her timidity and shyness which made him believe that she was capable of this.

'This will mean trouble,' he silently told the mare who was likely on her way to the Grand Library. "It's your head if you fail, likely mine as well. I hope you pull through."


	40. Seethe Scale and Lanfadora

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 40: Seethe Scale and Lanfadora**

For all the decades she had spent hunting down dragons, Seethe Scale had always relied on one trait they shared as a race; their utter unsociability. Though they tolerated the rare gathering of large numbers of their own kin, dragons were naturally suspicious of one another, and would not stand for living anywhere within miles of another dragon's lair. This made hunting down and killing them much easier. Even alone, dragons were a powerful lot; possessing a wide array of ways to hurt and destroy. But Seethe Scale could always count on the fact that they would never have any help. Even the Draco'dim, despite being a group, only came together for extremely rare situations, and it was never more than two at a time.

Standing within this gigantic cavern now, Seethe Scale could only count herself, and the rest of Equestria, lucky that this was the case. A unified dragon assault could easily tear through a realm, leaving only fire and ashes in its wake. Yet, here she was with four prominent dragons outside the Draco'dim, seemingly about to do something that might lead to that end. But the prince asked her to do this, and she will see it through to the end. She surveyed the cavern, taking note of each dragon that had defied its instinctual distrust of its kin just to be here. They were so deep into the mountain that no light penetrated this cave, making her rely on her darkvision.

First was Himfadora, the envy dragon who helped bring this group together. She perched on top of a great stalagmite, her long, sinuous tail coiling around it. To her right was Nazhadar, a sloth dragon, and nearly her opposite in every way. While Himfadora was sleek and long, Nazhadar was compact and heavily built. She glowered over the others from her perch while he huddled into his niche within the rock. Her crest rose proudly, running from her head, down her spine, and to the tip of her tail. The thick, bony plates that covered him from snout to tail made him seem part of the mountain. Even in the light, they were the same color as stone. Sloth dragons were often derided by the rest of their kin as strongly resembling turtles. They would have taken umbrage over such a derogatory remark, if they didn't think it was too much of a bother to do so.

Across the cavern from Himfadora was Drezhadar, perhaps the oddest one to be involved in this meeting. It was common enough knowledge among dragons that not every pride dragon supported the Draco'dim, but to find one who actually wished their destruction was rare indeed. Drezhadar's smaller size in comparison to the rest of the dragons sharing the cavern with him spoke much of his youth. What he lacked in size, however, he made up for with sheer arrogance. As was the typical pride dragon feature, his enormous four horns curved around each other to crown him. They made it remarkable that he could keep his neck straight. Even through darkvision, there was a gleam about his scales that promised splendor if seen in the light. This was not the first time Seethe Scale had encountered Drezhadar, and she knew of the pride dragon's golden scales. Even now, they seemed to demand that everyone's attention should be given to him, and he held himself so confidently that he appeared on the same level as Himfadora despite sitting on the floor.

And, of course, there was Seifralhadar. Even mentally, Seethe Scale used that name for him this time. Spike, the dragon who lived among ponies was not needed today. Today, he needed to be the last surviving hatchling of Reinfadora, the heir to Drellhadar's works and, most of all, Prince Terrato's agent within the dragons. She looked towards the dragon in question. Seifralhadar was just a few feet behind her, taking shelter behind a large rock. Seeing him for the moment made it difficult not to have some sort of sympathy. Seifralhadar was no picture of determination. He looked barely able to even stay in this cavern with so many other dragons, let alone to stand among them.

As if to further mock Seifralhadar, he was now also surrounded by several small, blue-green butterflies. They fluttered around him with their brightly luminescent wings as if he was the most tantalizing flower in all of Equestria, occasionally alighting upon him with impunity. These were the fearsome guardians of Drellhadar's laboratory. Indeed, they were the only occupants of that desolate hole in the ground. Seethe Scale had expected something…more sinister, something more fitting for all the stories of the monstrous Drellhadar. She would have been completely disappointed, but, while these butterflies looked harmless, there was certainly an air of mystery around them. For one thing, she couldn't count them properly. They seemed to "wink" in and out of existence as they fluttered around. As far as she could tell, there were around three or four of them. They also completely refused to leave Seifralhadar despite his, and her, best efforts. For the two days after that visit, they stayed by him, never needing any food or rest. They evaded claw and tail swipes with remarkable ease, and followed him everywhere. Seifralhadar had suggested dragon fire in desperation, but she cautioned against it. Who knows what might happen if these things, these creations of Drellhadar, were attacked with flames?

"Everyone is here," Seethe Scale told her charge. "It's time to begin."

Seifralhadar looked at her, eyes still trusting despite all that has happened, and then swallowed. He steeled himself and put on a brave face even though his legs shook. After a few more seconds of composing himself, he slowly began to emerge from his hiding place.

* * *

><p>For Spike, the past few days have been the most bizarre yet in his time with Seethe Scale. What he had hoped would be a journey into becoming stronger for his friends had turned into this complicated foray into his kind's world. Not only that, he was going to enter it through, what he felt, was the most dangerous way possible. The other dragons loomed over him from different directions. No matter where he looked, he found armor-plated scales, poison stingers, slashing claws, and rows and rows of pointed teeth. What was he supposed to do before such mighty creatures?<p>

He had hoped to be surer after he visited Drellhadar's laboratory; surer of his identity, and surer of his purpose here. Instead, he left that place disappointed. He had expected something like Twilight's laboratory back home, with oddly shaped bottles left and right, as well as a mountain of books he can go over to learn more about the dragon. He had even hoped against all odds that Drellhadar would have some kind of journal which would mention him. Instead, he was faced with an expanse of crystal. Everything, from the floor, to the walls, and to the ceiling, was of the same material. His darkvision didn't allow for color, but he could tell that the place would have been enough to make Rarity faint, and possibly foam at the mouth. Enormous spires of them jutted out of the ground in great formations that reminded him of snowflakes. As beautiful as the place was, however, it was also empty.

At least, save for the butterflies.

Spike had no idea where these things had come from. When he first entered the laboratory, he was terrified of meeting the guardians that supposedly still patrolled it. His mind conjured images of animated, dragon-shaped, stone statues, and monstrous skeletons of unknown creatures. He had encountered no such things. Instead, after he had left the laboratory, he was surrounded by these butterflies. He could only guess that these were the deadly guardians of Drellhadar's laboratory, and their persistence in hanging around him was indicative of his identity as Drellhadar's son. Why his father picked butterflies to guard the laboratory was a mystery. Either these creatures's graceful, fluttering forms disguised their immense true power, or Drellhadar may well be the one dragon Fluttershy wouldn't be scared of.

"Everyone is here. It's time to begin."

Seethe Scale's words put an end to Spike's speculations, throwing him back once more to the terrifying situation he was about to deal with. Just one of the dragons gathered in the cavern could crush him with a step. Still, he put on as brave a face as he could, and stepped forward. Seethe Scale walked by his side as he presented himself before the gathered dragons.

"This is the one I have been talking about," Himfadora said. "Look! Even now, Drellhadar's creations circle him in recognition. He is truly the last son of Reinfadora!"

"Bah!" Nazhadar said with a snort. His voice rumbled and echoed within his barrel-like chest. With his eyes closed, it was as if he was talking in his sleep. "All I smell is a hatchling. What can we do with him? The Draco'dim will need but one look to double over laughing."

"If they do that, then I'll start killing them while they're distracted," Drezhadar said with a snap. He looked over to Himfadora. "This is a dangerous gathering you have set up. I'm listening, but you better have more than just butterflies to prove that we can stand behind this hatchling as the dragon queen's heir."

"Crush him then," Himfadora said with a sneer.

"What?" Spike cried out. "Hold on! Wa-!" Spike looked to Seethe Scale at first, to see if she would protect him. The kirin didn't look as if she even heard the exchange. He decided to run for it. He was done with this cave and these dragons. He was going to run, all the way to the Heartland if he had to. Drezhadar suddenly drew himself to full height. With one final glance behind him, Spike turned and started to run as fast as his legs could carry him.

He got about a single step forward when a heart-crushing wave of dread slammed into him. He gasped once, and tried to clutch his chest, only to find that his body rigid and rooted to the spot. He couldn't even turn his eyes.

"Pride dragon aura of fear," Spike heard Himfadora say behind him. "Impressive control for someone so young."

Spike couldn't tell if the kirin said anything else. His heart hammered in his ears so loudly that he felt his skull was about to burst. He felt a bit of a draft from Drezhadar raising a claw. He would have closed his eyes, but his eyelids wouldn't move.

And then, out of the corner of his eye, Spike noticed the strangest thing he had seen yet since he came to the Western Barrier Land, and he had been exposed to a lot of strange things. One of the butterflies fluttered in front of him, its wings bathed in a steadily intensifying glow. His eyes watered, but he still couldn't close them. The brightness seared away his darkvision, leaving only a painful field of blue-white. The light flashed, and then flew from the creature, like a spell from a unicorn.

Drezhadar's pained roar shook the cavern violently. After a moment, Spike found himself able to move again. His first instinct was to shut his eyes, and press his claws softly against his eyelids in agony, but fear of another attack from Drezhadar left him scrabbling against the stone floor. He felt a claw, Seethe Scale's, grab him by the spines on his head, and then turn him around forcefully.

"Relax," Seethe Scale said in her pitiless tone. "It's over."

What felt like a minute passed until Spike's darkvision recovered. His heart continued to pound and his legs wobbled, forcing him to balance himself with his tail. When the commotion both in the cave and within him had died down, the butterflies had gone back to just circling him. Drezhadar had hunkered down on the floor, cradling his smoking right claw with his left one. He walked over warily back to Seethe Scale, but, as he was about to hold out and grab a hank of her fur, he looked up at her, and then just kept his claws to himself.

"Are they still 'just butterflies', Drezhadar?"Himfadora asked smugly.

"Curse that scaleless wretch!" Drezhadar growled. "Curse him and his monstrosities!"

"Well, I'm convinced," Nazhadar said muttered. Before Himfadora could reply, he went on in his slow rumble. To Spike, he sounded as if he was constantly in the state of having just woken up. "Before we even continue, I must say that to have Lanfadora around is suspicious."

At first, the name threw Spike off. Lanfadora? Which one would that be? Seethe Scale had already told him the names of all the dragons in this meeting. It was only when he looked to where all their eyes went did he realize what was going on. Lanfadora was none other than the kirin next to him. He looked to Seethe Scale worriedly. He hoped that they would not send her away. He may doubt her different motives, and her lack of concern left him feeling cold inside. But her presence was reassuring. She was still the closest he had to an ally in this dark, frightening hole in the ground. Alone, there was no way he could face these dragons.

"The half-pony is here as Seifralhadar's protector, sent by the pony prince, Terrato," Himfadora replied.

"Exactly," Nazhadar said. "She is Equestria's agent. We do not need that kind of interference from the ponies."

"Reinfadora brought the ponies into this, Nazhadar, are you going to question her wisdom? Himfadora asked.

At the mention of that name, Nazhadar quickly backed down. To Spike, it almost looked as if the sloth dragon was trying to burrow into the cavern's floor. "Of course not," Nazhadar grumbled. "I'm sure that the dragon queen did what was best, but I doubt she would approve of the dragon-slaying Lanfadora being so close to her last surviving hatchling."

"Reinfadora killed more dragons in her last years than the half-pony could hope to kill in her lifetime," Himfadora said. "She would approve of her son being around someone so ruthless. Even if it is a half-pony."

At the mention of his supposed mother, Spike turned his gaze from Seethe Scale to Himfadora. There was a sense of familiarity in the envy dragon's rasping voice when she spoke the name. He fought back the fear of being around so many dragons to get a better look at her. Now that he paying attention, he noticed that she was easily the oldest dragon in this cave. Her teeth looked worn, some were even broken. Her rasping tone made her sound like someone's grandmother. Himfadora could be old enough to have known Reinfadora personally. She certainly looked and sounded that she did.

Drezhadar tapped the stone floor with a claw. "We are wasting time talking about the abomination," he said. "Seifralhadar and his role is the issue here." Despite what he said, he turned his gaze on Seethe Scale. "Although, perhaps, we can start off with what the pony prince has to say about this whole issue."

Though she stood in the midst of dragons that didn't take her presence well, had been called "abomination" by one, and "half-pony" by another, Seethe Scale continued to speak in that that distant tone Spike was accustomed to hear from her. "The prince has discovered Seifralhadar's true identity and brought him forth to this group, so that he may, in turn, receive your aid in a future conflict."

"Typical," Nazhadar said. "Why else would the pony prince bother with us?" He raised himself up, and craned his short neck out as far as it could go towards Seethe Scale. "He doesn't think he'll get some of us to join his Legion does he? That would be a real bother."

"Hold," Drezhadar said. He raised a hand to silence the sloth dragon, who looked at him indignantly. He wasn't paying attention, however, as he had focused on Seethe Scale. "You said "future conflict". Equestria is already fighting Wolvengard, Ursinium and Ophidus. What else can it pick a fight with?"

"The prince does not expect any dragon to fight at his command," Seethe Scale replied. "Nor anything mundane like supplies."

"Then what does he want?" Drezhadar asked. "And who does he want us to aid him in fighting?"

Seethe Scale didn't answer right away. All three dragons now leaned closer towards her and Spike. He swallowed and grabbed a hold of a tuft of her fur. He could smell their breaths at this distance, and the stink of dead flesh wafting towards him made him sick. He could have sworn he saw a bone stuck between Nazhadar's teeth, and he didn't want to know what it belonged to.

"All the prince asks is that Seifralhadar is allowed to inherit everything from his parents," Seethe Scale said. "Both of them."

"You're dodging my other question, abomination," Drezhadar said. "Who are we fighting if not the wolven, the ursans, and the ophidites?"

"Ponies."

It was at that moment that all sense of fear suddenly flew from Spike. The three other dragons in the cavern were forgotten. Suddenly, that dream he had before was coming back to him; Seethe Scale attacking Ponyville, the screams at the sight of him, the carnage…

"Seethe Scale?" Spike asked softly.

The kirin didn't seem to hear him as she continued. "But, you're getting too far ahead," she said. "You have the Draco'dim to deal with, and the prince has chosen to help you."

"Just as he's helping them spread their influence in Equestria's center," Nazhadar said.

"Enough meandering," Himfadora hissed. She raised herself up, and glowered over everyone else in the cavern before speaking to Seethe Scale. "I know what your prince wants, half-pony. Without a doubt, you must have scoured the laboratory I showed you in hopes of finding it, only to come up with nothing."

Seethe Scale didn't reply.

"I will not agree to pushing on with our plans until I know," Drezhadar snarled at Himfadora. "What ponies is she talking about?"

"The half-pony speaks of the strangers," Himfadora said. "Terrato does not want our aid against the ponies of Equestria." She smiled and a trickle of drool dripped down her lips. "He means his kin; the same kind of pony as the stranger who brought the ponies of Equestria into our world to begin with. As for the inheritance…" Himfadora snaked her long, sinous neck towards Spike. "The prince wants this hatchling, who is undoubtedly more loyal to Equestria than to his own kin, to inherit Drellhadar's life's work."

"And, what's that?" Nazhadar asked.

Himfadora's only reply to that question was a wide, broken-fanged grin. Spike shuddered at just how creepy the envy dragon was. The other dragons seemed to have a similar reaction to him. Drezhadar sneered at the sight and Nazhadar muttered something to himself. "I don't know," Himfadora said. "I served Reinfadora as a confidant, second only to Drellhadar himself, but I never knew what that monster was up to." Her grin widened. "Isn't it such a gamble? The pony prince might know. He and his sisters were entrusted with this hatchling weren't they? Perhaps they know more about Drellhadar's work."

"Gamble?" Drezhadar roared. His eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped to a growl. "Might I remind you that we are staking our lives on this? You may be near the end of yours, Himfadora, but I won't let you throw mine away over gambles!"

"And might I remind you of what we stand to gain!" Himfadora said. Her tail twitched a bit, and the stinger flicked back and forth. "Even the way he is, Seifralhadar can reawaken the old loyalties that Afralhadar and his ilk have tried so hard to smother. This is the time we have been waiting for, the time to challenge the Draco'dim rule!" Himfadora raised her voice. "I've spent centuries studying Drellhadar, trying to understand why he did what he did, and why Reinfadora kept him so close. I never came close to answering either question. But I know one thing. Drellhadar never cared for dragonkind one way or the other. I may not know what he had been working on up to that moment he was slain, but I do know that it will not concern us." The envy dragon let out a snort, and Spike began to gag at the horrible smell. "Drellhadar would not stoop so low."

Drezhadar turned is gaze back to Spike. "That may be, but what of his son? Tell me, Seifralhadar, what do you think of dragonkind? Do you share your father's disdain?"

Spike opened his mouth, only to find nothing to answer to that. It wasn't even a matter of how similar he was to a dragon he never met, or if Drellhadar was his father or not. What did he feel about dragons? He was certainly impressed by the size and power of his race, but whenever he encountered them…

"Seifralhadar has spent most of his life within Equestria," Seethe Scale said. "He has not been with his own kind long enough to form a proper opinion."

"That's going to change soon," Drezhadar said. The pride dragon was smiling now as well. "Very well, let's set aside the ponies's agendas and focus on our own" He turned his great, horned head towards Seethe Scale. "Have you told him what we require of him as the son of Reinfadora and Drellhadar?"

"No," Seethe Scale said flatly.

"Typical Lanfadora," Nazhadar said. "You've only told him what the ponies need."

"Enough with the half-pony!" Himfadora hissed. She looked at Spike, her smile back in an instant. "Drezhadar is right, Seifralhadar. It's time we looked to you. You've heard enough vague ramblings from a bunch of dragons."

"Y-!" Spike stopped and then composed himself. He was still afraid of so many things. He was afraid of not just these dragons standing before him, but also of the fate they seemed to promise. He was afraid of his "mentor". Seethe Scale was leading him down a path that seemed to lead farther and farther from his friends. He was afraid of Terrato, and for everypony back in the Heartland. Yet, he did understand that showing that fear now would only make sure that they are brought about. He stood as tall as he could, forced his legs to stay still with all his might, and lifted his head so that he met the envy dragon's stare. "About time!" he said as loudly as he could. He was practically shouting, but it felt as if his voice was barely reaching the ears of these dragons. "I've been standing around here while the three of you talked over me and I want answers!" He grit his teeth as all three dragons seemed to bristle at his insolent tone. This was insane, he was going to get himself eaten and probably Seethe Scale too. But he couldn't stop now. Despite the reactions he saw, he just felt that this was the right way to deal with them. He grit his teeth, pointed at them defiantly, and spat the words out like bad hay fries before the fear made him choke on them. "If you don't make things clear, I'll…I'll send these butterflies at you!"

There was no immediate response. Slowly, Drezhadar began to tense. Whether he was going to leap at Spike for being so audacious or back away from the cause of his injured claw, Spike wasn't sure. Nazhadar stared wide-eyed while Himfadora's shoulder began to shake. The envy dragon started to laugh, her dry, half-wheezing voice echoing all around them. Eventually, she settled down. "My sincere apologies, dragon prince," Himfadora said. Spike heard the words, and was already searching for the mockery. To his surprise, he didn't find any. "I will make amends right away."

Spike allowed himself to be mollified. He stopped clenching his jaw to appear defiant, but he remained upright and alert. He glanced around briefly. Nazhadar and Drezhadar didn't look very approving, but that derisive look in both their eyes was gone for now.

"The pony prince has made the claim that you are the last hatchling of Reinfadora, the dragon queen, and her consort, Drellhadar," Himfadora said. "You have entered one of Drellhadar's laboratories and lived. His creatures acknowledge and protect you. This will be proof enough to any dragon who still holds on to the old loyalties."

"Proof enough for what?" Spike asked. He had a feeling as to what the answer was and he didn't like where it was going.

"To bring together enough dragons to challenge the Draco'dim," Drezhadar said. "You must have seen some form of their tyranny already, Seifralhadar. The Draco'dim are over there in your precious Heartland, imposing their will through a mountain of scaled corpses. This has been going on for too long and we must stop it."

"Their insanity must end," Drezhadar added. "They treat all of dragonkind as pride dragons. In doing so, they rob true pride dragons of what makes them unique and superior. Their posturing has rendered our race weak as a whole as well. So much that we are hardly relevant to the wars that Equestria, Ursinium, Wolvengard and Ophidus wage."

"But, if you all hate the Draco'dim so much, why won't you all come together by yourselves?" Spike asked. His own boldness surprised him. He wasn't even stammering. Perhaps it was because these huge dragons were now talking to him as someone they needed.

"You do not know your own kind well," Himfadora said. "If you could bring us together that easily, we could have taken the entire world as our own by now." Her eyes narrowed in grim thought. "No, we dragons are selfish and belligerent. So long as our hoards are safe, we can't care less about our kin. Of course, there are exemptions. Afralhadar is a freak of nature, a dragon gifted with the ability to communicate with his fellows, and bind them with a small, but deciding thread of unity. With Reinfadora dead, that was enough for them to exert their domination." Himfadora's voice rose. The disgust she spoke the Draco'dim's name with was replaced with a sense of awe and nostalgia. "But, his work will be nothing compared to what you will accomplish. There are many dragons who still remember Reinfadora's time. They may not care much for their fellow dragons, but they will fight for even just a hint of her presence, and by hint, I mean you. Seifralhadar. Make the claim, and you will gather those who remember those days. They are some of the oldest dragons around. We can bring an end to the Draco'dim."

"But…" Spike let the hasty word trail off as he began to ponder. He didn't want to do it. He wanted to help his friends and Equestria, not dragonkind. But even he could see how this could be an advantage. He had come to the Western Barrier Land to be of a better help to his friends. He had hoped to do so by gaining strength for himself, but having other dragons come to aid Equestria would certainly be just as important. He looked to Seethe Scale. The kirin nodded at him, silently telling him to do what he felt he should do. "I…If I do this, will these dragons follow me, and do as I say?"

"To a degree," Himfadora said. "It all depends on how much of Reinfadora's reign they see in you."

"And, if we beat the Draco'dim, will they help Equestria if I ask them to?"

"They certainly won't mind protecting the realm that sheltered the dragon queen's last hatchling," Himfadora replied with a shrewd smile. "At least, they'll go as far as dragon gratitude will take them."

"Alright," Spike said. The words left his mouth with a sense of finality. 'Sorry, Twilight,' he thought. 'Maybe I won't be back by this spring. But, I promise, I will be back.'

This time, all three dragons in the cavern smiled.

* * *

><p>It was evening when Spike and Seethe Scale entered the kirin's cave. Before that, it was a long and silent flight for the two, making their way back from the hidden meeting place of what Himfadora called "The Old Guard". Drezhadar wasn't too keen on the name applying to him, but grudgingly accepted that it was somewhat appropriate.<p>

Seethe Scale had not bothered to look back when Spike jumped off from her shoulders. "Get some sleep," she said. "There's much to do tomorrow."

"Not yet," Spike said. He folded his arms across his chest and stayed standing by the entrance.

Seethe Scale turned around and stared at him as he held his ground. "What do you want?" she asked.

"So far, all we've been doing is what you and Prince Terrato want to do!" Spike said. He stomped a foot for emphasis. "What about what I want to do?"

"What do you want to do then?" Seethe Scale asked.

"I want to become stronger and help my friends!"

"You have become stronger."

"Stronger so I can help everyone else but them!"

Seethe Scale pushed aside some gold coins and gems, and then reclined on the resulting space. "You understand," she said. "You may complain about it, but I you already understand. Amidst all the others using you, you'll find a way to use them in return. You've made it plain enough when you agreed to Himfadora's plans."

"But, I don't want to use anyone!" Spike shot back. "I just want to help my friends!"

"And Himfadora wants to bring back some semblance of her glory days," Seethe Scale said. "And the prince wants you to help with his plans. And I want to help the prince. Everyone wants to do something and no one is going to just stop to help you out, Spike. If you want to help your friends, you find a way to take what you need."

"Is that how dragons do things?" Spike asked. "No wonder they can't beat the Draco'dim! All they have to do is work together and they could solve this problem."

"Like ponies?"

The question halted whatever Spike was about to say next. He shook his head and concentrated on finding the words again. He refused to let Seethe Scale just end this conversation. "Yes," he said. "If that's how you want to put it, like ponies!"

"Is that what your pony friends taught you?" Seethe Scale asked. "That the dragons should just do what ponies do? That dragons should share, be nice, and live in tiny houses in villages so they can be good neighbors?"

Spike didn't answer. The butterflies fluttering all around him didn't seem to be too bothered by what he felt was a growing hostility from the kirin.

"What did they tell you about your greed phase?" Seethe Scale asked. "That it was wrong? They may as well have told you that growing up was wrong!" She spat on the ground in derision. Spike felt himself grow angrier. He didn't like how she said that. "What do they know of dragons? What do they know of going through the phases, of the different dragon varieties, and the dragon way of life?"

Seethe Scale's voice suddenly softened, and her fierce expression gave way for a moment. "What do they know of living in a world that's too small, too short-lived and too flammable?" Her voice trailed off. For a few seconds, she was silent. Then, the fierce expression was back and her tone grew derisive once more. "Your pony friends have done nothing but force you to live their way of life or be cast out! They're hardly better than the Draco'dim, and I say "hardly" because they, at least, haven't killed and eaten you for not being pony enough!"

"Don't you talk about my friends like that!" Spike shouted. He lunged at the kirin, claws and fangs out.

Seethe Scale didn't even dodge. His claws and teeth found no purchase against her thick and coarse fur. His ineffectual attack only made him angrier. He stepped back, and blew flames towards her claws and hooves. Again, Seethe Scale did not even acknowledge the attack. "Are you feeling wrathful now?" she asked.

"You bet I'm angry!" Spike said. "You take back what you said about my friends!"

To Spike's surprise, Seethe Scale's facial expression finally changed. It was only now, despite the weeks he had already known her, did he finally notice her eyebrows. They weren't fur. Instead, they looked like a ridge of very small horns. "I didn't ask if you were angry!" she snarled.

Spike stepped back, his heart racing even faster than when Drezhadar threatened to squash him. Several bright red spines, each about a couple of feet long, suddenly rose from the middle of her back. They vibrated, reminding him of the rattling he had seen some snakes do. Her eyes began to glow red, and smoke began to rise from her nostrils. What really disturbed him was that she was projecting heat. He raised his claws protectively over his face. His scales didn't seem to do anything against this sort of heat. It was worse than being inside a smithy or even standing so close to a pool of lava.

"I asked you if you were wrathful!" Seethe Scale roared. "Learn the difference!" As she said the last word, she turned to the side and exhaled. Flames erupted from Seethe Scale's mouth and blasted one side of the cave.

Spike cried out. The discomfort turned to scorching pain as white-hot fire struck stone. He had never felt fire like this, not even the time when Nightmare Moon's tainted flames struck him. When he saw the cave wall glow and then slide to the ground as bubbling red goop, he quailed at the sight. When Seethe Scale closed her mouth, a great, smoking depression of partly melted stone marked one of her cave's walls. Seethe Scale walked over to him, the spines along her back already receding. "Do you feel anything remotely resembling that?" she asked.

"N-n-no," Spike said. One butterfly landed on his nose, as if mocking his fear.

Like the last glowing traces of a dying bonfire, all trace of emotion faded from Seethe Scale's face. "I see," she said. She walked back to her hoard and went back to reclining on it.

Spike shook his head. "Wait…wait! What just happened?"

"Today, you just discovered that you were a prince among your kind and that you now have potent guardians watching over you. Yet, your pride did not swell to great proportions. Just now, I provoked you as much as I can. You grew angry, but not to the point I was testing for. You are approaching your expression phase, Spike, and I just determined that you have neither a heart full of pride nor a heart full of wrath."

"That's it?" Spike asked. "It was some kind of a test?"

"Yes," Seethe Scale replied. "One that was impossible to give if I told you."

"Okay, I understand that part," Spike said with a sigh. "But, please, give me something."

Seethe Scale looked at him softly. In that moment, Spike felt a glimmer of hope, hope that the kirin would say something at last. She hesitated, and then looked towards the distance of her cave's opening. "I do not know what the prince expects from what you will inherit from Drellhadar," she said. "But, I can tell you of some of what the prince was willing to tell me, that it is a measure for should the worst come to pass, and that it may be the one thing that would grant him that wish he has entertained only in the rarest and darkest occasions. A wish he has kept from his sisters lest they think of him as weak or traitorous."

"And what's that?"

"To go home."

Spike looked at the floor, unsure of how he should react to that without making Seethe Scale angry. "Well," he said. "Thanks for trusting me that much."

"You're welcome."

Spike headed for the bundle of furs he used for a bed. "Seethe Scale?" he asked. "You didn't mean what you said about my friends right? That was just a test?"

Seethe Scale turned away. "What do I know about ponies?" she muttered.


	41. The Throne and its Bearer

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 41: The Throne and its Bearer**

When he received Third Squad's report, Terrato immediately sent out orders that the Elements of Harmony be gathered together. He wasn't that confident of their effectiveness as of now, especially with what he had seen of Applejack earlier, but he and his sisters had to push through with their plans.

Preparations had already been done. A necromantic ritual was enough to cleanse the place of all the ghosts that had anchored themselves to the Crystal Grave. He had to give some credit to Captain Shining Armor for holding that spell for a long time.

Then, he and Luna inscribed all the necessary magical sigils around the Crystal Grave while their elder sister supervised. Abjuration was one of Celestia's specialties. It was only when she was completely satisfied with their array did they continue.

Celestia's examinations also revealed a few more things. The seal around the Crystal Grave were obviously Lexarius's. He had discovered this during his reign and had promptly hidden it away. The Crystal Grave itself did not belong to their predecessor, nor did it appear as the work of anypony in the Eternal Herd. No, this crystal was a construct of Oceanus himself. It was built not just to keep outside forces from getting to Regia Carnifex, it was also built to keep him inside it. Terrato didn't know why Oceanus would outright imprison his lieutenant, but he was more determined now to find out. His next step was looking better.

And that next step was right now. Terrato walked through one more tunnel before he stood within Crystal Grave's chamber. His sisters were already waiting for him. Luna tapped impatiently against the gleaming gemstone floor while Celestia stared at the imprisoned alicorn. Their inscriptions were already glowing and humming with magic. All they needed now was the actual spell. For what could very well be the hundredth time, the consequences of the situation ran through his mind. He imagined having to fight an enraged, newly-freed alicorn across the skies above Canterlot. How much destruction would ensue? Before it would even get to that, they would have to deal with Regia Carnifex here. He glanced towards Celestia. His sister possessed no magic should the imprisoned alicorn go berserk. Would he be able to protect her should any fighting take place?

_'You mean like how you defended her from Black Rose?'_

Terrato's own inner challenge was full of scorn. He shut his eyes tightly for a second, as if doing so could silence the doubts.

_'Like how you'll defend her from Gravitas, from Oceanus, and from any other danger that's bound to come?'_

"Are you ready, big brother?"

At the sound of Luna's voice, Terrato ignored the stinging questions. He took his spot directly opposite her, with the massive crystal between them. He had no answer to himself. None that didn't sound like hollow boasting. All he could do was to keep moving forward until those troubles arrived, then show what he could do. "No, I'm just standing around here wasting your time." He snorted. "Of course I'm ready. Let's begin." He cursed inwardly when his little sister answered with an even more concerned look.

"Alright," Luna replied. She intoned the beginning of the abjuration ritual while the inscribed spells around her glowed even brighter.

Terrato followed his younger sister's lead. The room shimmered with alicorn magic. A faint humming began to emanate from the crystal. To their side, Celestia walked closer to get a better view. The light intensified and the humming grew into an oppressive buzz. A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

Finally, they reached the end of the ritual. The humming stopped and the light faded. The crystal was still there, its hundreds of facets held not so much as a single scratch. Terrato tried to get a feel of how the magic held itself together. He looked to his sisters to see if they found something he didn't.

"We've done it," Celestia said. Terrato heard a faint note of relief in her voice. Hopefully, they had just proved that his and Luna's magic could dent Oceanus's if they had to. If Celestia were to recover, all three of them might just match the firstborn.

The relief didn't last long. Terrato heard a groan; the sort of groan one would make upon waking up, come from the Crystal Grave. He fell into a fighting stance. Celestia was confident that they had succeeded, but they were faced with Oceanus's second. Past the crystal, Luna was also ready for a fight.

No great explosion or a fearsome neigh came despite their fears. Instead, they heard another groan, this one shorter and more annoyed.

"Regia Carnifex," Celestia said. "Can you hear us?"

Another minute passed before an answer emerged from the Crystal Grave. "Etiam…ut' ius…" a voice rumbled from the crystal. It sounded like ancient tree straining against a strong wind. Luna frowned and cast a translation spell over all of them. "…that's my name too…"

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Your name too?" she asked. Both Terrato and Luna walked to her side.

"Pardon," the voice said. "I had gotten so used to being called 'Starswirl'. It took a while to remember that I am Regia Carnifex after all."

Terrato let himself smile a little. "Looks like I got it right," he said.

"But who am I speaking to?" Regia Carnifex asked. "I can barely see through this blasted prison and I do not recognize your voices."

"I am Princess Celestia of Equestria," Celestia replied. "With me are my siblings, Prince Terrato and Princess Luna."

"Celestia…" Regia Carnifex said. "Princess Celestia…oh, yes. I remember now. You're that little pink-maned filly who kept making off with Oceanus's special pastries."

"That was-!" Celestia stopped, resuming only when she had restored some dignity in her tone. "That was a long, long time ago, Regia Carnifex," she said. "We've woken you up for present matters."

"Of course you have," Regia Carnifex replied. "I'm not going anywhere am I? So ask your questions."

None of the siblings replied right away. Now that they had Regia Carnifex's attention, the swarm of possible questions made it difficult to pick the first.

"Tell us about the Foul Weapon," Celestia said. "What is it? What does it do? How is it activated and used?"

"It's not for you," Regia Carnifex replied. "That's what it is, Princess Celestia. If this is some foalish attempt to follow in the hoof-steps of the pony you all but worshiped before, then give up."

Luna stomped a hoof. "As if big sister would even consider such a thing!" she said. "All we want is enough information to make sure that nopony gets to use the Foul Weapon, including Oceanus himself!"

"Such a noble goal," Regia Carnifex replied. "Oceanus said noble things too. He may have even meant them at some point. The Foul Weapon doesn't care. Let no pony ever use it again."

"You're sounding more and more as if you oppose Oceanus, Regia Carnifex," Terrato said. "What's going on here?"

"You should know, given that you've been prodding my cage," Regia Carnifex said. "After the fall and the creation of the mortals, I started to disagree with Oceanus over how he treated his new children." Regia Carnifex chuckled. "I knew that he wouldn't take my defiance well, so I had a failsafe ready before confronting him; a created mortal body to retreat into."

"And that was why you became Starswirl the Bearded" Celestia said.

"Yes," Regia Carnifex replied. "It was a wonderful time, being mortal. I would prefer to be Starswirl even if I did had to abandon most of my magical power. These mortals…they are such an interesting lot, aren't they?"

"Yet they were the ones that brought your downfall, weren't they?" Terrato asked. "Your student discovered your actual body, but she poisoned you before you could do anything."

For minutes, silence reigned over the Crystal Grave's chamber. Just as when it seemed Carnifex had fallen asleep, his voice emerge from the crystal again. "Clover…ah, it's coming back now…all that disappointment. Tell me, your highnesses, what happened to Clover the Clever? She left me stuck in my mortal body when she went off to try and salvage something from her Everlasting Kingdom."

"Lexarius caught and destroyed her," Celestia said.

"Stupid filly…right to the end, she was desperately scrabbling for her precious 'Deep Father'."

The tone Regia Carnifex used was all too familiar: regret, disappointment, even a measure of self-loathing. Old aches welled up inside Terrato. He wanted to cut through all the rambling get to what they needed.

"Carnifex, there are others on Clover's path," Celestia said. "There is a mortal trying to acquire the Foul Weapon. This is why we need your help."

"I suppose I should be shocked," Regia Carnifex said. "Yet, it's to be expected isn't it? When these mortals hear Oceanus's call, they all madly dash towards his abyss. I've tried to stop them to no avail. The taint they carry leads them to their fall in the end."

Luna's face twisted as she looked down on her chest. Terrato opened his mouth to say something, but his older sister beat him to it.

"No!"

Celestia's voice resounded within the chamber. She spoke so vehemently that Terrato didn't dare add anything. Regia Carnifex didn't respond either.

"I don't believe it!" Celestia continued. "Not for even for a second!" Her voice softened. "Oceanus did grow wicked, but it was by his choice, not out of any inevitability. His children have that same choice." Celestia suddenly looked towards Terrato and smiled. "Even when thrown into the worst of situations, they can still choose harmony over their 'Deep Father'. I am _not_ giving up on these mortals."

"You've come a long way from stealing cakes, Princess Celestia," Regia Carnifex said. "Perhaps the succession is in safe hooves with you."

Celestia pressed her lips together and looked down on her hooves. "I am not worthy of the Throne," she said softly. "Father will have to look to somepony else."

"You must be," Regia Carnifex said. "For you plan to oppose the firstborn in this world and he has found a Throne for himself.

"What?" Luna and Terrato exclaimed at the same time.

"You've convinced me, at least a bit," Regia Carnifex said. "If nothing else, let me tell you what it is. The Foul Weapon is a Throne."

"That makes no sense." Celestia shook her head. "The Eternal Herd only has one Throne and our father and mother are sharing it! There is no other Throne!"

"I'm sure that Oceanus thought the same thing when he first found out," Regia Carnifex said. "But there is another Throne, highness, and the firstborn draws from it. Did you think he would dare challenge your father with anything less?"

"You said 'when he first found out'," Terrato said. "That means Oceanus didn't create this thing. Where did it come from?"

"That is a mystery even to me," Regia Carnifex replied. "Oceanus might know. Although, I'm sure he won't share. I can tell you that it is an old, old thing. Older than Sanctus Dominus's and Divina Gratia's cycle. Likely older than the cycles before that." He paused again. "Through all that time, nopony has ever been able to draw from it. Only Oceanus."

"Then Black Rose will fail," Terrato said, mostly to himself. "The Throne will allow only one pony to draw from it, and that pony is Oceanus."

"The throne can accommodate two more," Luna said. "A mate picked by the one it has chosen and an heir from the two. That's how it has always been in the Eternal Herd."

"And how is that pertinent to the situation?" Terrato asked. A snap and a glare followed the tail end of that question despite his efforts to control himself. "The only way Black Rose would be able to draw from Oceanus's throne is if she married him, or turned out to be his-!" Terrato stopped. "Wayward children of Oceanus…" he whispered harshly.

"It's only in the broadest sense," Celestia said. "But we shouldn't ignore the possibility, no matter how tenuous the link."

"He would still have to choose her," Terrato said. "She doesn't even know it's a Throne."

"I must agree with Princess Celestia," Regia Carnifex went on. "The likelihood of this 'Black Rose' even catching Oceanus's attention is miniscule, but would you risk even a miniscule chance when dealing with the firstborn and his Throne?"

'That gambler…' was all Terrato could think. He tried to turn his thoughts away to calm himself down. After all that had happened, even with the theft of Celestia's power, Black Rose was his beloved and his student. He didn't want the miserable firstborn to take that away. He tried to console himself with how unlikely the odds were. It didn't help. Not when he was dealing with a mare who seemed able to bend luck itself to her favor. She might just catch Oceanus's attention. King knows, she's caught his. The thought made him sick.

"Big brother…" Luna said. She was about to reach a hoof towards him when Celestia spoke.

"Let us assume that she can find a way to draw from the throne," Celestia said. "Black Rose still needs to get to it. Lexarius and the other stewards have sealed the thing up so that even my stolen power can't break into it. Assuming that you're not going to help her, how else could Black Rose get to the Foul Weapon?"

It almost sounded as if Regia Carnifex snorted. "I would certainly refuse if she was actually polite enough to ask first, unlike my faithful student and her friends. I am trapped in this crystal, your highnesses. Black Rose only needs to steal me away and she can use me as she pleased."

"She can't if you're dead," Terrato said.

"Terrato, this is no time for your morbid jokes!" Celestia said.

"It's no joke," Regia Carnifex said. "He's right. If I'm slain in my alicorn body, nopony will be able to use me."

"I will not murder anypony as a precaution," Celestia said. "Not anymore..."

"Nobler and nobler," Regia Carnifex said. "But I've been in this world for too long, Princess Celestia, I've seen plenty of it as Starswirl to be satisfied. Killing me would be a boon. I would be able to return to the Eternal Herd and face judgment for my part in all of this. Who knows? I might even be allowed to rejoin it."

At that, Celestia actually looked like she might relent, but it was Luna who spoke first.

"You're lying," Luna said. "You've been tainted by the power of Oceanus. If you are slain here, you go to where he resides, to be tormented forever at his whim for your part in helping us." She put a hoof against her chest and stared at it grimly. "Like me…"

"I would thank you for sparing my life, highnesses," Regia Carnifex said. "But your problem remains the same. Let me make another suggestion."

"And what's that?" Celestia asked.

"Release me," Regia Carnifex said. "Clover and Platinum have siphoned nearly all of my magic for their rituals in the Everlasting Kingdom. I may be about as useful as an obsolete book on all things about the age I lived in, but I want to do something against Oceanus."

All three siblings looked to each other quietly. Terrato frowned and shook his head. There was a lack of power coming from Regia Carnifex, who sounded sincere enough, but he wasn't just going to release a prisoner so soon. Though Luna seemed a bit hesitant, he could tell that she did agree with him.

"Let us think about it first. We will speak some more later, Regia Carnifex." Celestia motioned to her siblings and walked away from the Crystal Grave. Terrato and Luna followed suit. It was only when the three of them had reached the Chamber of Elements did Celestia speak. "Where does all this find us now?" she asked.

"If Black Rose is relying on Regia Carnifex, she would have to come to us," Terrato said. "She must have an alternative."

"What other magic can match such a powerful seal from the Eternal Herd?" Celestia asked.

"The Elements of Harmony," Luna replied. She held her gaze steady when both her siblings looked at her. "Think about it, she's been dead set on trying to break or strengthen them with her agents. I think the Elements could do it."

"Black Rose would have to get them to use it according to her purposes," Terrato said. "And lead them to the Blasphemous Rift before that. What could she possibly do to-!"

All three of them halted when the resonance of an ominous and familiar presence made itself known. Celestia's face twisted from shock to sheer outrage. Luna and Terrato could only look to her grimly. "Gravitas!" she said. "How dare he!"

"Where is he?" Luna asked. "And who's with him?"

Terrato tried to pinpoint the presence. Gravitas had chosen to enter this world, but not to meet Celestia. Otherwise, he would have come to Canterlot. He had also tried to enter it as secretly as possible. The magic they sensed wasn't a gate opening, but Gravitas's power already being unleashed. His eyes widened as he followed that power's trail. "Sky Mirror Lake," he said.

"There are two others with him," Celestia said. "He must mean to secure the Blasphemous Rift."

"Too fast," Terrato muttered. "He didn't even bother scouting out this world before coming personally. What could have provoked him to rush his arrival here?"

A series of urgent knocks cut Terrato's musings short. "Enter!" he said.

A pair of Special Operations ponies entered and knelt. "Highness," one of them said. "We've received reports from the ponies observing the changelings and Sky Mirror Lake."

"What is it?" Terrato asked. He already feared the worst.

"Several explosions were just seen coming from Sky Mirror Lake. We believe that the changelings are under attack."

"We have to stop him!" Celestia said. "He's attacking the changelings without so much as a provocation!"

"It's General Gravitas and likely two of his best soldiers," Luna said. "Big sister, without your power, it would be two against three."

Terrato snorted. "Unless we bring the Elements of Harmony to bear," he said. "Which would be bringing Twilight Sparkle and her friends to Sky Mirror Lake as Black Rose would want them to be."

Celestia shook her head. "The Elements are not ready. Whether it's going to the Blasphemous Rift or against Gravitas."

"Then keep them here until they are," Terrato said. "I will go to Sky Mirror Lake to try and negotiate with Gravitas. "I'll bide for time, maybe even convince him to back off."

"He's a brute," Celestia said. "He could just overpower you and lock you away before making his way here."

"I'll go with you, big brother!" Luna said.

"No," Terrato said. "This is Black Rose's ploy. If we both go, she'll come here and take Regia Carnifex away. She's probably the one who convinced Gravitas to come to the Blasphemous Rift."

"Devious," Luna said. "But this is likely her last ploy. If we defend against this, big sister can recover her power."

"Then let's defend well," Terrato replied. "I'm leaving this front to you, Luna."

"Take care of yourself, Terrato," Celestia said. "If you fall, Equestria will follow."

"Nopony's going to fall," Terrato replied. "Especially not me." He left the Chamber of Elements and was about to take flight when a hoof touch his side. "You need something else, little sister?" he asked.

"Promise me that you'll run, big brother," Luna said softly. "When it becomes clear that you're in danger, run. Don't try to put up a last stand. Leave the changelings behind if you must, but run."

Terrato felt an urge to shake off the worry, make some small joke, then fly off. Instead, he turned around and put a hoof on his sister's shoulder. "I'll run," he said. "And Luna…"

"Yes?"

"I…" Terrato hesitated. This sounded like the sort of thing a soldier would say to his loved ones before putting his life on the line again. He didn't want to invoke that ominous atmosphere, but he wanted to say this anyway. "You know…I gave up on you back then. I didn't think you stood a chance against Nightmare Moon. If Celestia had agreed with what I had set out to do, you'd be with Oceanus right now."

"I know that," Luna said. "You don't need to apologize."

"It's not an apology I want to make," Terrato said. "I just want you to know that I plan on giving Oceanus nothing. Not "his" children, not Regia Carnifex, and especially not you."

"Thank you, big brother," Luna said. "I'll hold you to that."

"Count on it."

Terrato stretched his wings and flew.


	42. Morbid Fascinations

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 42: Morbid Fascinations**

There were plenty of tears to be shed when Rainbow Dash and Third Squad made it back to Canterlot. The sky-blue pegasus, after days of fending for herself at the mercy of an ophidite and then out in the wild, couldn't help but become a little misty-eyed at the sight of so many ponies. When Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity came out to meet the group, they were also tearfully relieved at seeing that their friends were all safe and sound. Even Applejack and Twilight Sparkle shed a tear, touched by the entire unfolding scene.

Scarlet Rabbit nearly burst into tears when he caught sight of a newly established, Barrier Lands-only brewery. There was no drinking for him, though. Vanguard Clash ordered him and Rainbow Dash to present themselves to the hospital, and stay there until they were cleared of any lingering ophidite drugs.

When Twilight Sparkle was allowed access to the hidden archives the following day, that was when she really had to hold back a sob. The Coldhorn the Watcher wing, the lone place in the library that she had avoided as a filly back then, had somehow opened up into a long hallway of ancient books. She could barely contain herself as she surveyed the shelves. Special Operations had several researchers still combing through the material. She was going relish going in there with them, looking through the notes they already compiled, and adding to them when she had a chance. It was a worthwhile undertaking and, when orders came from Prince Terrato himself for her and her friends to stay put in Canterlot, she was the only pony among the Elements of Harmony who took the orders in stride. Everything was going her way today. The only sour note so far was when she had to pass by First Squad Captain Bad Arc, on her way to the hidden archives.

_"Try not to wet yourself in there, Purple Pyre,"_ Bad Arc had said. _"Don't want to ruin any of those books."_

Twilight put that unpleasant pegasus behind her. All this knowledge was too good and too important to be soured by one pony. Apparently, she wasn't the only who thought so as well. While the rest of her friends didn't look too happy with being around the hidden archives, Fluttershy, of all ponies, seemed as determined as she was to go through all the books. Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie had also come along, more because of the prince's orders that they be near each than out of any enthusiasm for all this knowledge so close at hoof.

"So what's got you so interested in the hidden archives, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.

"Well…um…I wanted to find out more about the stare…" Fluttershy replied.

Twilight raised an eyebrow at that. "What makes you think that there would be information about the stare here? It seems to me that these books are mostly about pre-Equestrian history."

"Well…" Fluttershy glanced away. "…he told me that there'd be something to find out here."

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "Who's this 'he'?" she asked. She paused, suddenly aware that she was beginning to loom over Fluttershy. She backed away to let the pegasus relax.

"It-it was, Blue Moon," Fluttershy said. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to keep it a secret!"

"It's alright," Twilight said. "Sorry, for being pushy. Did he say anything else?"

"No…"

After making a mental note to talk to Blue Moon, as well as to call for Fluttershy if she did stumble on anything about the stare, Twilight parted ways with the pegasus, and the two of them began to go through the shelves. She had already thought about what she wanted to learn first so she could narrow her reading focus.

First and foremost, Twilight wanted to learn more about Oceanus and the Old Kingdom. Ever since she visited Clover the Clever's last refuge, the darkness around that time before Equestria seemed to beckon her scrutiny. It wasn't just because the Foul Weapon and the Blasphemous Rift were important to their current situation. She wanted to learn more about how ponies dealt with their connection to their "Deep Father"; a connection that, as much as she hated to admit it, she and all mortal ponies had. There was no doubt that what had happened in Clover's refuge was but a small taste of the influence of Oceanus. Just what was the result if that small taste was magnified to great proportions? Just what did the power of Oceanus do to a pony? It was a morbid fascination that she felt, similar to wanting to find out what happened during the late stages of a disease or a poisoning.

Twilight glanced down one aisle and spotted Applejack picking up a book. The earth pony took a single look at the pages before frowning and placing it back.

"Land's sakes, Twilight, I can't stay cooped up in here with all these fancy books!" Applejack said. "I'll go crazy! I'm going off to do some training!"

"Don't stray too far from the library," Twilight said. "We're supposed to stay together and be ready for emergencies."

"I'll just be nearby," Applejack said solemnly.

"Hold on, Applejack," Rarity called out. "I'm coming with you!"

Both Twilight and Applejack looked towards the white unicorn in surprise.

"Really?" Applejack asked. "I mean, you want to go…with me…while I go off to train?"

"Yes, thank you for clarifying," Rarity said with a frown. "If you're going, then let's go!"

"Well, I…uh…alright," Applejack said.

Twilight watched as Applejack and Rarity trotted out of the archives and headed for the Great Library's exit. When they disappeared from view, she looked around. That left Pinkie Pie still in the library somewhere. She scratched her head a bit as she searched for the pink pony. It shouldn't be that hard to look for Pinkie Pie. All she had to do was follow the sound of books being thrown around, high pitched squeals of delight or curiosity, and the annoyed cursing of legionnaires trying to rein somepony in. Yet, she didn't encounter any of those. She walked a little faster now, worried that they had somehow "misplaced" Pinkie before they even made it to the library.

Twilight was about to call for some help from the nearby Special Operations ponies when she finally caught sight of Pinkie Pie. The pink pony was passing through the shelves in such a subdued manner that it was no wonder that Twilight couldn't find her. "Pinkie?" Twilight called to her. "Are you looking for something specific too?"

"Huh?" Pinkie replied. She shook her head and then spotted Twilight. "Oh, uh…yeah. Hey, Twilight, you think there's some kind of a book here about Rock Maven?"

"Rock who?"

"Rock Maven. Copper Mane's been teaching me a lot of stuff about him, but...well, he makes me want to find out more. Don't tell him though. He's been teaching me lots of stuff that I like doing. But, when he starts talking about being a True Earth Pony and stuff, I just feel like wanting to find out for myself."

"Well, good luck looking for Rock Maven then," Twilight said. "I'll call you if I read about him somewhere."

"Thanks, Twilight!" Pinkie went off again.

Twilight didn't even know how the pink pony was able to tell whether a book held what she was looking for without picking them up. However, she didn't doubt that, if there was indeed a book here about this "Rock Maven", Pinkie Pie would find it.

It was an odd feeling, seeing that the ponies who were sharing at least some of her enthusiasm for this place were Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Realizing that she was wasting too much time with what her friends were up to, she picked up a promising title and began reading. Fortunately, this one was already in Equestrian, as were likely most of the books. The ones that weren't were with the translators. Now, she just needed to find the ones about the Old Kingdom…

* * *

><p>"So why did you want to come with me, Rarity?" Applejack asked as the two of them trotted out of the Great Library and to the nearest training ground. They had made sure to keep the building in sight, and to let the Special Operations ponies know where they were.<p>

"A couple of reasons," Rarity replied. "First off, how was your first mission with Vanguard Clash and Twilight Sparkle?"

"You know, Scarlet Rabbit and Rainbow Dash were involved in it too. And First Squad."

"You know what I'm talking about, Applejack."

"You're prodding again, Rarity!" Applejack said. She stayed silent for a while, not wanting to answer, but she eventually sighed and replied. "It wasn't-!" She paused, remembering that night when she did talk to Vanguard and then Twilight: the thrill that spread all throughout her body when Vanguard reached out to her, the relief she felt when she was able to reach Twilight without losing her temper. "It wasn't as bad as I was afraid it was going to be," she said with a smile.

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked. "No outright fighting? No tears or screaming? That is quite the pleasant surprise, Applejack. Well, I'm glad to know that you've got this messy triangle out of the way. Now we can-!"

"We haven't gotten it out of the way," Applejack said. "Sorry, Rarity, but I really am not stepping aside. Twilight isn't either."

The widening smile on Rarity's face threatened to collapse on itself. "Oh my stars…" she said. She massaged her temples with her hooves, and then let out a long exhale. "Well, at least the two of you addressed it. Not too bad, Element of Honesty."

Applejack walked over to a nearby practice dummy. On the way back to Canterlot, she used every time she could squeeze out of the mission to practice with Apple Slice's chain some more, especially in controlling its pulling strength. She didn't want to pull off somepony's head whenever she wanted to lasso them. "You're just making fun of me now, Rarity," she said.

"No, I mean it," Rarity said. "Things can still go bad very quickly, but I rather like being pleasantly surprised. There's still a number of things that might ruin all of Equestria, but I think I'll sleep a little better from now on."

"Don't tell me that you followed me all the way out here just for that!"

"Well," Rarity said sheepishly. "There is one more reason."

Applejack turned around just in time to see Rarity telekinetically lift her four blades into the air. "Rarity…what are you doing?" she asked. "Those are your fancy blades…"

"Carefully wrapped in leather to prevent serious injury," Rarity said. "They'll still hurt if they hit you, though." Her expression turned serious. "And I will hit you if you don't take me seriously."

Despite the threat, Applejack could not help but grin and tap the ground with a hoof. "Is that right?" she asked. She was about to get Apple Slice's chain ready when she hesitated. "If I get this thing around your neck, the fight's over, alright? I don't want to snap your neck."

"Agreed," Rarity replied.

The grin returned wider than ever on Applejack's face. "Hope you're better than a training dummy, then!" She began to whirl the looped end by her side.

The mage blades around Rarity began spinning in a wheel-shaped pattern. "We'll see," she said. One blade suddenly flew out of formation as she made her first attack.

* * *

><p>The sheer number of books within the hidden archives was nearly enough for Fluttershy to turn around and give up. This was pointless. She could spend days and days within this place and not come upon anything she was looking for. The Special Operations ponies that moved through the place looked so serious and busy that she felt that she was disturbing them by simply being there. She was better of just walking away. She could just tell Blue Moon that she didn't find anything.<p>

Except that she wasn't doing this for Blue Moon.

Fluttershy stopped herself halfway through her turn. 'That's right,' she reminded herself. She remembered the sense of helplessness she felt just a few days ago and used that to push herself forward. She had an opportunity here; an opportunity she couldn't afford to waste. She walked over to one of the Special Operations ponies. "Um…excuse me," she said. "W-would you mind helping me find a book?"

The legionnaire, a blue green unicorn mare whose blue mane resembled the usual Royal Guard mane style, turned around. Fluttershy expected a stinging rebuke about getting in the way, and that this wasn't a public library. To her surprise, she actually got a salute and a respectful tone. "I'll see what I can do."

Fluttershy could feel herself blush at the response. "Oh…um…well, you don't have to stand at attention. I just wanted to find some books about Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy."

"There are several books on Hurricane and his Graywing Elite by that stack over there with Squall Chaser." The legionnaire pointed to a stack of books next to a very light gray earth pony with a curly, cream-colored mane. "Squall!" she called to him. "Show Legionnaire Fluttershy here those Graywing Elite books."

"Wow…" Fluttershy said. "You know my name?"

"Legionnaire Fluttershy, Bearer of the Element of Kindness," the legionnaire said. "We've been updated on who you are and your position within the Legion."

Squall Chaser walked over and saluted. "Right this way, ma'am," he said. He showed her a stack of books, many of which lacked any title on their covers, save for the picture of a gray-feathered wing and a spear forming an "x".

Fluttershy picked one book up and then looked to Squall Chaser. "Graywing Elite?" she asked. "What's that?"

"The Graywing Elite was the ruling body of the pegasi nation prior to the rise of the Old Kingdom," Squall Chaser said. "Hurricane was its leader when the Windigo Crisis occurred and Pansy was his second. After the Old Kingdom was established, it was merged with the unicorn and earth pony ruling groups."

"So all these books are about Hurricane and Pansy?" Fluttershy asked. The number and thickness of the books made her swallow. All she needed was to know more about the stare. These books looked like they chronicled every single day in the lives of Hurricane and Pansy.

"Oh no," Squall Chaser said. "Only a couple of these are about the two of them. The rest are about Pansy's 'Experiments'."

"O-oh, I see…" Fluttershy said. "Have you read most of them? Maybe you can tell me where to read about the stare?"

The blank look on Squall Chaser's face was enough for Fluttershy to consign the rest of her day to going over the stack. "I've made it through halfway the material," he said. "I haven't encountered anything involving a stare. Hurricane and Pansy aren't quite in the Legion's sights at the moment, so it's just me working on this stack. Everypony here is more focused on Clover, Platinum, and Smart Cookie. They're the ones who were really into delving into the power of Oceanus.

"I better get started then," Fluttershy said. She picked up a book and began scanning pages.

* * *

><p>Finding books about the Old Kingdom turned out to be quite easy, as Twilight quickly discovered. Many of these records were written on Lexarius's orders and he was apparently quite adamant on making sure that every detail of the enemy he had defeated would be remembered. The language was already close enough for her to understand. She found plenty of words that she didn't recognize, but the Special Operations ponies had provided her with some notes.<p>

She had to admire Lexarius's commitment to historical documentation. She would have loved to meet him when he was still…himself. It was nothing short of a tragedy that a pony so organized and meticulous was now an insane entity trapped in stone.

Hours had likely passed. She wasn't sure and she didn't really care. Several finished books were already stacked to one side of her while books she wanted to read where stacked by the other side. There was so much to find out about the Old Kingdom, from its sordid beginnings to its ultimate fate, she just wanted learn more and she had already learned so much in her first day.

The Six Companions and those who followed them called their nation "The Everlasting Kingdom". Clover the Clever had envisioned a grand destiny for herself and her followers, one that was tangled in the tendrils of her "Deep Father". She had stayed true to what she told her mentor as she murdered him. Twilight took some grim comfort over the fact that it was now referred to as "The Old Kingdom", highlighting Clover's final folly.

While it was Clover who picked the name, it took all six companions and the factions they led to create their Everlasting Kingdom.

Princess Platinum all but ruled the unicorn kingdom in her father's name while Clover the Clever officially served as "court mage". Twilight didn't need to find any writing about it to suspect that Platinum's hold over her kingdom did not come from legitimate means nor did "court mage" come anywhere even close to Clover's position.

Hurricane and his second, Pansy, commanded the Graywing Elite, the military and therefore ruling arm of the pegasi.

As for Pudding Head and Smart Cookie, they were the leaders of the two most powerful clans among the earth ponies. Their alliance and their progress with attuning themselves to Oceanus allowed them to dominate the earth ponies, beating most of the clans into submission and then selling the particularly defiant ones to slavery.

It was at this point that Twilight encountered the name that had Pinkie Pie so curious. There was a brief list of the earth pony clans that had been sold to the unicorns, and one of the clans had been led by Rock Maven. It was merely a passing mention, however, so Twilight considered it not worth taking herself away from her reading to look for Pinkie.

This turned out to be the right choice, to her anyway. She sped through line after line, page after page, just taking in all the information._ "A lot of bad things were committed during those times, several books worth,"_ she recalled Nightcanter saying. Several books worth was right. Lexarius made sure that every monstrous ritual was carefully described so that the details were there, but they couldn't be replicated. Twilight cringed at each event: the pony sacrifices, the slavery, the purges…but she couldn't stop reading. She soon found more interesting and pertinent details.

She had already found out from Special Operations that the Old Kingdom's capital, which was built over the Blasphemous Rift, was located in what was now Sky Mirror Lake. She also knew that something was going to happen there very soon so every bit of information about the place was going to be important.

Twilight had thought that Lexarius was the one who flooded the capital as part of the sealing. It turned out that it was the Six Companions who called upon the waters that still remain to this very day. They had apparently done it to "preserve the sanctity of the Everlasting Kingdom". If Twilight despised Clover the Clever before for murdering Starswirl the Bearded, it was nothing compared to the loathing she felt for the errant student now. Clover destroyed the nation she built, and then escaping its fate at the very last moment, abandoning even the other companions. The ritual was called "The Deep Father's Embrace" and the name did fit. Oceanus's loving hug killed the city's thousands of inhabitants in a deluge of magically tainted water. Lexarius had a lot of detailed notes on the devices he had to construct just to get around obstacle and seal the Blasphemous Rift. Twilight guessed that they would have to deal with these ancient constructs if they planned on stopping Black Rose's plans.

"Twilight Sparkle…"

Twilight raised her head at the sound of that voice calling her. Her first instinct was to be irritated. She had a lot more reading to do. But she recognized Vanguard's voice so the irritation turned to curiosity. The stallion stood in front of her, with the desk she was using between them. "Vanguard," she said. "Wait, what time is it? How long have I been reading here?"

The serious mien around Vanguard was enough for Twilight to close the book she was reading and stand up. "Well over eight hours," he said. "The princesses have summoned the Elements of Harmony. They're already waiting in the Chamber of Harmony so let's go."

"I'll go get Pinkie and Fluttershy," Twilight said.

* * *

><p>The alicorn stallion laughed a loud bellowing "HOO! HOO! HOO!" as he brought his massive weapon down on a group of changelings. The hammer's head, a polished, rounded chunk of metal the size of a small cottage, crushed half a dozen of the screaming insectoid creatures, splattering their blood all across the soft, sandy ground. The other changelings continued to fly away, but, despite his enormous size and his heavy barding, the alicorn was right behind them, hammer ready for another overhead smash.<p>

"Isn't this a strangely amusing chore, Fulmen?" Ridentem Malleorum asked his partner. Behind him, a much smaller alicorn, clad in golden armor, darted about, impaling the changelings that were scattered by Ridentem's initial charge with a long, broad-tipped spear.

Fulmen Lancea stopped briefly before pointing his weapon towards a few more fleeing changelings. A stroke of golden lightning burst from the tip, incinerating his targets before they could fly another foot. "No," he said. "It feels too much like pointless posturing, Ridentem. It will always be until we fight Oceanus's troops."

"But this thing they're doing," Ridentem said. "It's so bizarre and amusing! It's an excellent diversion!"

"What do you mean 'this thing'?" Fulmen asked.

"This thing! This thing!" Ridentem said, nearly unable to hold back his mirth. "This maneuver that looks like a retreat, but they do it while moving without any discernable pattern while making that racket!"

"It's called 'fleeing in terror'," Fulmen said. "Reports say that this world's inhabitants are prone to such behavior."

Ridentem paused. "You mean…they're afraid of us?" he asked. Before Fulmen could reply, he laughed again and crushed another group of changelings. He looked around and spotted a large group of changelings trying to escape, but appeared to be hampered by something. "Over there!" he said. "That one looks just a bit more organized!"

Fulmen didn't reply, but he followed his partner. As the two of them approached, the changelings caught sight of them. Half the group formed a defensive barrier against them while the other half continued to fly away with their burden.

"Now here's something more familiar!" Ridentem said as he raised his weapon. A bit of organized resistance for once! What's that thing they're trying to escape with? It looks like one of them, only bigger!"

"I recognize this one," Fulmen said. "It's their queen, the one that the general tried to talk to. Looks like it survived his attack."

"Should we finish the task?" Ridentem asked. He advanced even more. The changelings rushed him, but their teeth and hooves merely bounced off his barding.

The changeling leader began to stir. She opened her eyes weakly and tried to rise without help. The other changelings gathered around her in support.

"Let's try to talk to it," Fulmen said. "As I recall, it can actually communicate."

"Better speak slowly," Ridentem suggested. He didn't bring down his hammer, but he swatted a few changelings away with a foreleg. They crashed to the ground, and did not rise again.

"Do you understand me?"Fulmen asked the changeling queen.

"I understand perfectly, monster!" the changeling queen spat. "Celestia talked so innocently about asking permission and just passing through! Then, she sends you to destroy us all!"

"We are not affiliated with the rebellious princess," Fulmen said. "We are letting you go. Come back with reinforcements or flee to a far away land. It doesn't matter."

"Regroup and get your allies!" Ridentem said. "Please make it more amusing when you return!"

"We will get our revenge one day!" With that, the changeling queen glared at them and then turned around to continue escaping. The two of them noticed that she was heading towards Canterlot.

"We don't really need that many escorts for her do we?" Ridentem asked. Without waiting for a reply, he charged and brought down his hammer on some of the changelings that were lagging behind. Fulmen shook his head and turned away.

There was no crash or splatter, however. Fulmen turned around again and saw that Ridentem's attack had collided with a great chunk of stone that had risen to meet it before the hammer's head could even travel past his horn.

"The changelings deserved some punishment," sompony said. Both Ridentem and Fulmen recognized the gray alicorn that had landed just in front of them. "I even suggested to Celestia that they be wiped out. But seeing it done like this…well, that makes me see her point a bit more clearly."

Fulmen placed his right hoof against the left part of his breastplate and then dipped his head, the normal greeting that soldiers of the Eternal Herd made for royalty. "Highness," he said. "The general was hoping that you would be the one to come and negotiate."

* * *

><p>"Good," Terrato said. "We start off positive. Take me to General Gravitas."<p>

The three of them flew along the shores of Sky Mirror Lake, past well over hundreds of the dead changelings that were scattered across the ground like flies. Many of them were barely discernible pools of mashed gore and bones. They landed at the northernmost point of the lake, where Gravitas had already set up a large tent to serve as his office.

Terrato didn't waste any time in stepping forward. He had flown from Canterlot at night, but it was morning when he arrived in Sky MIrror Lake. He would have teleported, but he preferred to conserve his strength. Being outnumbered was enough of a disadvantage. "Gravitas," he called out. "We need to talk." The tent flap lifted briefly, and another alicorn stallion stepped out.

General Gravitas was a large alicorn, taller than Terrato by a few inches and just as muscular. His barding was polished to a silvery sheen, intricately engraved, and covered him from head to hooves in gleaming, overlapping plates. It was difficult to make out, but he had a coat of a very light gray, almost white if somepony didn't look to closely. His mane was a dark blue mist that seeped through the openings of his criniere and he looked at the world through a disapproving set of ice blue eyes. "Yes, we do," he said in a rich, baritone voice. "I am pleased that it's you who came, highness. I have had quite enough of dealing with your sister."

"Is that the only reason?" Terrato asked.

"You are also the most likely to understand," Gravitas added. "We're soldiers of the herd, you and I. We both understand the necessary steps that your sisters are often so quick to condemn and overlook.

"And what is this that I am most likely to understand?" Terrato asked.

"That these mortals must be destroyed for their own good," Gravitas replied. "The Council sent me here to secure the Foul Weapon, restore Celestia's power, and ensure Equestria is not under the influence of Oceanus. These half-hearted measures will spell the end of the herd if we do not do something."

"I think you've overestimated my open-mindedness."

"Hear me out," Gravitas said. "This matter stretches back even before Lexarius volunteered to come to this world." He lifted the flap to his tent. "Come in and we will talk."

Terrato looked to his sides. Despite the centuries, he recognized the two soldiers.

Ridentem Malleorus was of the same height as Terrato was, but twice girth. He looked fat, but he moved around earlier with plenty of agility. He had no mane and his coat was the color of aged cream. The hammer slung across the his back and the way the burnished metal plates of his barding curved outward added more to his sheer presence.

Fulmen was nearly Luna's size, but he carried himself as if he was as big as his partner. His mane was a wild, bright red blaze that sprouted from his closed champron's top like a second tail. His golden barding covered his rust red coat and he had a long spear slung across his back.

"The two of you haven't changed," Terrato said.

"I wish I could say the same of you, highness," Fulmen replied.

Terrato followed the alicorn general into the tent. There were times that he felt as Fulmen did.


	43. The Herd First

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 43: The Herd First**

It only took the introductory page of the first book she came upon for Fluttershy to realize that even the term "Private Pansy" was not true. Pansy was no low-ranking soldier within the Graywing Elite, she stood second only to Hurricane. It only took a few pages after that to find out more than what she wanted to know.

The visit into Clover the Clever's darkened "last refuge" was enough to impress upon Fluttershy that the "Six Companions", as she had often heard them called, were nothing like how they had been portrayed during Hearth's Warming Eve. She was ready to read about what a mean, cruel, and spiteful pony Pansy was.

Lexarius's methods, however, didn't quite match her preparation. The Eternal Herd's former steward did not write every book in this enormous collection, but every pony who did wrote in the manner he asked of them. There was no long discussion of any sort on how Hurricane and Pansy were bad, and that everypony should make sure not to follow them. There were only reports. Cut-and-dried reports that would not have been out of place in an encyclopedia.

Fluttershy had skimmed through the general information on the Graywing Elite and Commander Hurricane. Squall Chaser had told her everything she needed to know about them. She wasn't here to learn everything, like Twilight Sparkle was. She was here for one thing only. Only the books that detailed Pansy's actions held her attention.

Hurricane's activities were listed in a single book, a book that wasn't even entirely about him, but the Graywing Elite as a whole. Pansy, on the other hoof, had several volumes, all dedicated to her experiments.

Though she supported Hurricane's dominance over the Graywing Elite, Pansy's methods differed greatly from him. Hurricane focused on ideology, morale, and tactics. Pansy was more interested in direct improvement of pegasi troops. "The Weak Sow, the Strong Take" were the guiding words of the Graywing Elite. Pansy followed them to the letter.

The first few books dedicated to Pansy's work were labeled "Chimera Projects". At that point, Fluttershy was thankful for Lexarius's organization. These turned out to be Pansy's first attempts, stretching back to the time before she knew of the power of Oceanus. The first part was how Pansy tried to give pegasi soldiers the ability to cast spells. She took the horns of kidnapped unicorns and tried transplanting them onto volunteers. That was all it took for Fluttershy to skip ahead. First of all, she was too disgusted and disturbed by the images in these reports. Second, she doubted that the Stare would be something taken from another creature and then attached to a pegasus.

Fluttershy went through the other books, all the while feeling that she was flying down a dark hole. Every turn of the page was another fight to keep going, to skim just long enough to see if there was anything to find before she moving on.

_…resulting in what would eventually be referred to as "Eye of Fear"._

Fluttershy doubled back to the beginning of the page. She hadn't read "The Stare", but "Eye of Fear" sounded close. Finally, the end of her awful search was in sight.

_The earth ponies' construction of the Coldsteel Construct and the unicorns' discovery of the Crystal Grave left the pegasi in a precarious position within the Six Companions. Pressed by Hurricane to develop a tributary accomplishment in the Deep Father's name, Pansy abandoned her chimera projects and most of her unsuccessful bloodline experiments in favor of utilizing the Graywing Elite's captured windigo remains, resulting in what would eventually be referred to as "Eye of Fear"._

Fluttershy tried to turn the page, but her foreleg trembled so much that the paper kept slipping away. The Stare couldn't be good. She suspected that a long time ago, no matter how much she tried to use it for what she believed was right. She knew her suspicions were true when Blue Moon sent her here, in this storehouse of information about an evil time in pony history, to find out more about it. After a few more fumbles, she finally turned the page. As she did so, she came upon another problem. She couldn't get her eyes to focus. They strayed from word to word, refusing to linger long enough for her read anything.

'Read,' Fluttershy told herself. 'You think this is scary? Think of who they're going to carry into the hospital next! This is just a book! A book about things that happened a long, long time ago!'

The letters came into focus and the words started making sense. Fluttershy all but dragged her eyes to the very beginning.

_"Surviving records from the Graywing Elite state that Pansy was successful in creating a bloodline possessing a unique ability similar to the one possessed by the windigo they used. Based on the ability to induce terror by eye contact, Lexarius has determined that the captured remains belonged to Lok'horus, one of the enforcer captains bound to Oceanus, who possessed a similar ability. Of two hundred volunteers for the ritual, reports from the Graywing Elite state that only three survived. Two were slain during the battle for the Old Kingdom, the third was captured for containment but-"_

"Fluttershy, we have to go!"

Fluttershy flinched, and the book dropped heavily on one side, falling shut as it hit the floor. She gasped and tried to find the page she had been reading, but Twilight had already reached her and was pulling at her with a nip at her tail.

"I know you want to stay here in read, Fluttershy, but the princesses are calling for us!"

"But, but it's there!" Fluttershy said. "I just need to-! Oh…"

"We can come back here later!" Twilight said. "It must be serious if the princesses want us!"

Fluttershy agreed, but that didn't make leaving the book behind any easier. Of all the inopportune times to be interrupted! Now she knew just a little, that tidbit was going to torment her until she got back. With one more tug, Twilight had her walking down the hallway, away from the hidden archives. Pinkie Pie trotted right behind them, while Vanguard Clash led the way.

For a moment, Fluttershy forgot about what she had just read. She had expected Pinkie Pie to come out of the archives as disappointed as she was, but Pinkie trotted out of the doors with an eager smile. What had she found out from all those books on the Old Kingdom that would put a smile on her face?

Fluttershy's thoughts went back to her own findings, however. Windigos…all she knew about windigos came from Hearth's Warming Eve. They were evil enough creatures in a play that portrayed the six companions as good. How much more evil were they in reality? And the Stare came from them? How was that possible?

Fluttershy felt more afraid than ever to look anypony in the eye.

* * *

><p>Inside the Chamber of the Elements, the group found Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow still had some bandages covering the many scrapes she suffered during her ordeal. Rarity and Applejack, however, were sporting fresh bruises. Twilight gave them a disapproving look, which they both answered with sheepish grins.<p>

"Sparring…er…got a little out of hoof," Applejack said.

"The two of you were sparring?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Why didn't anypony tell me? Watching that that would have _way_ been more exciting than just staying in that boring hospital!"

Rarity pushed a stray lock of her mane from her face and turned her nose up. "We weren't doing it to entertain anypony!"

"Everypony!" Luna's stern tone silenced the entire chamber. When both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna approached them, the entire group knelt. "No time for formalities!" Luna said, gesturing for them to rise.

"What's going on, your highness?" Twilight asked.

"Black Rose is approaching Canterlot," Celestia replied. She touched her chest briefly with a hoof. "There's nothing subtle about her movement; I can sense the power of sunlight approaching the city."

"A direct attack from Black Rose?" Twilight asked. "That is nothing like her!"

Rainbow Dash slammed her front hooves together. "Let her come! We'll take her down this time!"

"That mare's more slippery than a greased up piglet!" Applejack said. "Twilight's right, there's bound to be some trap again!"

"Perhaps we should consider that she's not coming here to attack?" Rarity asked. Her friends stared at her in response. "Black Rose and her Thorns have proven occasionally willing to negotiate." She looked to her sides. The injuries she had sustained from her duel with Lion Court had all but disappeared. Doctor Redbrand had commented before that it took some very sharp blades wielded by a very precise pony to leave wounds that healed so thoroughly. "Well, negotiate in their strange terms, anyway."

Rainbow Dash glanced towards her flank. "Yeah, Longstride sure did an awesome job of 'negotiating' a meeting between his arrow and my cutie mark!' She paused, frowned, then dragged a front hoof against the floor. "I guess we could try something…" she mumbled.

"I've got something to say to Sablesteel!" Pinkie Pie piped up. "I hope Black Rose brings her along if she does come!"

"The announced arrival is certainly strange," Luna said. "But it doesn't change the fact that she chose to come during big brother's absence."

"She's in front of the city," Celestia said.

Twilight's horn was already glowing while the others braced themselves for an incoming fight. Any moment now, the chamber would fill with magic and Black Rose would come out with spells firing everywhere.

Minutes passed and nothing happened. A bead of sweat trickled down Fluttershy's brow. Her heart raced while she played the same situation over and over in her mind. If Black Rose did attack now, she would have nothing to offer. Her thoughts went to the book in the hidden archives. If only she'd found that section just a few minutes earlier, things might be different right now. Just a few minutes…

"Big sister?" Luna asked.

"She's still there." Celestia closed her eyes. "She hasn't moved at-"

A burst of magic did erupt from the center of the chamber. When the light from the spell dimmed, the translucent image of Black Rose stood in its place.

"Excellent, everypony is here." Black Rose smiled and pulled back a long strand of crimson hair that had fallen across her face. "Please, forgive the ominous presence," she told Celestia. "I wanted the two of you to gather the Elements of Harmony before we commenced."

"What are you up to, Black Rose?" Twilight asked.

"A great deal of things, I assure you. But it's not what _I'm_ doing that's the reason for this." Black Rose turned back to the princesses. "Gravitas's arrival is much earlier than I had hoped. It appears I've overestimated the Eternal Herd's compassion towards Equestria." Black Rose's smile widened a little. "Or is it the Herd's fear of Oceanus that I've underestimated?"

"Your actions have unleashed the Eternal Herd's most vicious general upon Equestria, Black Rose!" Celestia accused. "The smile on your face says everything about your concern for this realm!"

The sharp rebuke did nothing to faze Black Rose. "I would frown until my eyebrows met my chin, your highness, if it would help Equestria even in the slightest. Sadly, I must take other measures for that. We have a mutual problem fortifying himself by Sky Mirror Lake. I assume that, by now, my beloved has told you the extent of his meddling. I would like to suggest some cooperation on our part to ensure that there is an Equestria to fight for by the end of all this."

"Gravitas is sitting between you and the Foul Weapon," Luna said. "All we have to do is delay him and tolerate his presence for a while and the power you stole will force its way back to my sister. Why would we help you move him?"

"I had hoped my winning personality would suffice," Black Rose pouted though she continued with a smile. "But I also have my endurance to fall back on. It's true that I cannot hold on to the power of sunlight forever. Even with modest assumptions, however, I can keep it for a long time."

The smile disappeared as Black Rose gestured, causing another image to materialize. This time, it was a view of Canterlot's outer gates. For a moment, none of them could tell what they were looking at, but they eventually focused on a gathering of royal guards and legionnaires. The train going into the city was stopped before something on the tracks. That something was a dark green, pony-like creature with insect wings.

"It took him a day to slaughter a quarter of the changeling population," Black Rose said. "What will he do in a week? How long will it take him to twist whatever directives the Council of Elders gave him to suit his wishes? Will you really 'tolerate' him until I am forced to surrender this power?"

Fluttershy looked across the chamber. She didn't know who this Gravitas was. She didn't have to know. She wasn't fond of the changelings. That didn't matter either. She saw the faces of each pony with her, and she knew that Black Rose had made her point.

"What kind of 'cooperation' are you proposing?" Luna finally asked.

"One that benefits all of us, of course," Black Rose said. She pressed a hoof against her chest and closed her eyes. Golden light, like liquid rays from the sun, seeped from Black Rose, bathing her hoof with radiance. A moment passed and the light coalesced into a marble-sized sphere at the tip of her hoof. With a gentle flick, Black Rose sent it flying. Fluttershy wondered where it was actually going.

A beam of golden light passed through the walls and struck Celestia. Light bloomed from her, as if a small sun had been born. Everypony shielded their eyes from the harsh glare.

When the light subsided, Celestia looked to her still-glowing front hooves in surprise. "Why have you done this?" she asked.

"A gesture of good faith," Black Rose said. "It also relieves some of the pressure, meaning I can hold on to the rest of the power of sunlight even longer. That should completely remove your option of waiting Gravitas out. Also, you'll need it soon enough. You're about to come under attack." The image disappeared and the chamber went silent.

Celestia's sharp breath drew everypony's attention. "Gate!" she said. "There's a gate opening within the Royal Palace itself!"

* * *

><p>"Make yourself comfortable," Gravitas said as he sat behind a makeshift wooden desk. The tent was large enough to fit the two of them with ease.<p>

"If I did that, your two soldiers outside would be censured from this world already," Terrato replied. "Can we go straight to the questions and answers, Gravitas? I think it's clear that neither of us is interested in niceties."

"Blunt and to the point, I wish we had you in those Council meetings long ago, Terrato," Gravitas said. "Very well, you may be the first to ask a question."

"Is it true that you asked Black Rose to assassinate Celestia?" Terrato asked.

"Censure," Gravitas said. "You must remember, your highness, that your sister cannot be assassinated here. She would have lost a great deal of power, but she would have simply returned to the Herd and stayed there." He paused for a moment. "As she should have in the first place."

"Did you ask Black Rose to _censure_ my sister?" Terrato asked.

"Yes."

At the blunt answer, Terrato standing on top of Gravitas, pummeling him until his dried up brains were smeared all over the ground. Black Rose had told the truth for once. It helped a little, but changed nothing about their situation now. "Why?" he asked.

Gravitas lifted a small rock with his telekinesis and ground it into dust. "To make a point," he said. "To show the Herd that these mortals have no compunctions towards turning on us as soon as they stand to gain from it. To show the Herd that it is time to stop doting on others and to start looking to our own defense."

"And the Herd knows of your involvement?"

"You can tell them if you like," Gravitas said with a shrug. "My point still stands. I will ask the question this time, your highness."

Terrato set his lips to a hard grim line. "Go ahead."

"You are not like your sister or Lexarius. You understand that these measures are necessary when faced with a threat like Oceanus. Will you not join my side?"

Terrato snorted. "You should have asked me a thousand years ago. I might have considered. I would have still refused, mind you, but I would have given it some thought."

"Give it some thought now. Your father stirs within the Silver Sanctum. Oceanus does the same in what twisted reflection of that place he recovers in."

"Where does 'killing all mortals' fit into that situation?" Terrato asked.

"Killing all mortals has always been the solution." Gravitas placed his front hooves on the desk. "Do not bother vomiting up the same swill that Lexarius and Celestia feed anypony willing to listen. Be your own stallion for once, your highness."

Terrato snorted again and sat on the ground. "If you're done trying to shame me into joining up with you, I'd like an answer," he said.

"The mortals are bound to Oceanus," Gravitas said. "Lexarius put on a good show about how we can 'show them a different path'. What happened? He didn't raise them up, they dragged him down." Gravitas thumped the desk in front of him with a front hoof. "Celestia tried as well. Look at what the mortals have done to her in gratitude. We have given them enough chances, your highness. It's time to put _our_ kind first. Oceanus will try again. It goes against all sense to leave him all these soldiers to bolster his army."

"The mortals have more than just the spark of Oceanus within them," Terrato said. "It also took the power of the Eternal Herd's throne to bring them into being."

Gravitas snorted. "So Lexarius said."

"Lexarius was weak!" Terrato snapped. "Don't compare his resolve with mine or my sisters'. Yes, he meant well and he did well. But he was confronted by the weakness of mortals and he broke under the knowledge of it in the end!" He smiled as he continued. "I have dealt with the weakness of mortals: they're fragile, their courage can falter, they grovel, they beg, they lie…" He paused for a moment, the image of a kneeling purple unicorn flashing in his mind. It wasn't even a year since he was explaining away Celestia's barrier policy as "therapy".

_"This…this is wrong! This can't continue!"_

Terrato's smile widened. "But they can choose to do what is _right_."

In the silence that fell after that, Terrato entertained thoughts that he had provoked something from Gravitas that didn't involve contempt for mortals. As expected, all he got was the same monotone. "I had hoped that you remained in this world purely out of loyalty towards your elder sister, a respectable, albeit delusional, motive." Gravitas shook his head and Terrato knew that the disappointment that the older alicorn projected into the whole world was now directed at him. A lifetime ago, this would have been enough to crush him. Now, Gravitas's approval was worth less than the dirt beneath his hooves. "It seems that you yourself have committed to this course. That is a pity, your highness. Even before the three of you were sent here, I had thought you had more sense than either of your sisters."

"Save your pity, disapproval, and whatever else you've convinced yourself that I might care about. My turn for a question now."

"Ask your last one," Gravitas said, his voice already distant. "I've made my demands and you've clarified your position. Going further would be pointless."

"What is it about Oceanus that terrifies you so much?"

Gravitas didn't answer right away. When his eyes widened and his lips pressed together just a bit more tightly, Terrato knew that he had hit a nerve. "What did you just ask me?" was the harsh question.

"I asked one of the Eternal Herd's greatest generals why he's so scared of Oceanus that he'll do anything to make sure that the traitors don't get the smallest advantage."

"And you are so brave, aren't you, Prince Terrato?" Gravitas spat out. "You and your sisters: so compassionate towards the mortals, so forgiving, and so sure of their worth!" He struck the makeshift desk, easily splitting it apart. "None of you were there during that battle! Lexarius and his troops were floundering in Bytos." Derision mixed with Gravitas's anger. "Celestia was hiding in the Silver Sanctum, crying over why her brother was behaving so badly while you chewed on her tail! None of you saw the destruction that had been wrought when the dust of the first rebellion settled! None of you had to see Sanctus Dominus himself, injured and faltering! You have not felt fear until you have seen that moment, Prince Terrato! Do not talk to me about being afraid!" He drew himself to full height. "You speak of trusting the mortals! You did not have to see your very comrades cast aside their loyalties for the traitor prince!" He pointed a hoof at Terrato accusingly. "Is it too much to expect royalty to put the Herd first?"

"You're right," Terrato said. "I haven't seen what you have. Not even half. But I've seen things too." He pushed aside the broken remains of the desk, bringing his face right against Gravitas. It had been a long time since he had to look up to a pony who stood at the same level as he did. "You say that, as royalty, I should put the Herd first?" He let himself grin and took satisfaction in watching Gravitas grow angrier at his disrespect. "I say let the Herd fall! If the Eternal Herd can only go on if we destroy these innocents and all they've tried to build for themselves here, I say let Oceanus sweep away the old order! Maybe something better can emerge when it's all over!"

"You watch your tongue, insolent prince-!"

"Or we can do it in the way my sisters and I are still discovering!" Terrato went on. "We can save both the Eternal Herd and Equestria without sacrificing everything that makes them worth saving!"

"You would not say that if you truly knew what you were up against, colt," Gravitas snarled.

Terrato snorted again. "How long are you going to let your fear of the firstborn decide things for you?" he asked. "Be your own stallion for once!"

Gravitas was about to make another angry reply, but he paused and exhaled slowly. Stepping back, he spoke in a flinty, but more even, tone. "There is nothing left to discuss. Fulmen! Ridentem! Escort the prince out of the Herd's new base of operations." The tent flap opened and Terrato spotted the two alicorn soldiers already waiting for him. Gravitas spoke once more as he turned his back. "When you get back to Canterlot, Terrato, you will find that it is already prepared for my take over."

Terrato stopped, but he didn't look back. "Did you think anypony would be shocked to find out that you brought more than two alicorns to back you up?" He pushed past his two "escorts", shoving Ridentem aside with a shoulder when the he didn't move away fast enough. "I trust my sisters and I trust the Elements of Harmony. Before this is all over, I hope you can do the same. We can still use you when the ninth rebellion turns up."


	44. A Blade and a Cinder

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 44: A Blade and a Cinder**

"There's a gate opening within the Royal Palace itself!"

Celestia's warning left everypony in the Chamber of Elements alert and hesitant. They heard Black Rose clear enough, and they knew that they should be on the defense now. But who was attacking them? And how did one defend against gates that opened within the place to be defended?

"A gate from where?" Luna asked. "Can you tell what's coming out of it? And where is it exactly?"

Celestia closed her eyes for a moment. "From the Eternal Herd," she said. "It's in the throne room. As for what's coming out…I do not recognize them. They're neither alicorns nor enforcers."

"Of course." Luna tapped a hoof against the floor and frowned. "Enforcers cannot harm mortals, so Gravitas is relying on something else. Why hasn't he sent some of his officers?"

"These are advance troops," Celestia replied. "Their leaders will come afterwards. I expect an alicorn or two at best. Gravitas's arrival alone will mire the Council of Elders in a great deal of discussion with the other heavenly realms. I doubt he'd have been allowed to bring many alicorns with him."

"Regardless, the rest of the Legion must be warned!" Vanguard growled. Applejack was about to take his side when he shook his head. "The Elements of Harmony will move as the princesses direct them."

"Be careful, Vanguard Clash," Luna said. When the doors behind him closed, she turned towards the others. "If this is a move from Gravitas, he will go after three things: he will seek to detain both me and big sister, acquire the Crystal Grave, and gain control of the Elements of Harmony." The blank looks that answered her quickly brought another problem to her attention.

"Your highnesses," Twilight said. "Who is this Gravitas? And why is he attacking us?"

"It will take too long for me to tell you in detail, Twilight," Celestia said. "For now, it is enough to know that he is a threat from the Eternal Herd's side."

"That's all_ I _need to know!" Applejack said. "Question is, what do we do to stop him?"

Celestia's expression hardened. "At this point, there is only one thing that can get through to Gravitas and his followers." She tapped the floor forcefully with a hoof. "We fight back. Perhaps, when they see that their 'destroy the mortals' solution is not as easy as they thought it would be, they would be more willing to try other things."

Celestia looked to Twilight and her friends. She now had enough power to get a feel of their ability as the Elements of Harmony and she saw the renewed radiance within them. It wasn't enough to make her confident in their ability to take on the likes of Gravitas or Black Rose on their own, but their improvement did strengthen her hope. Perhaps there was some merit in her brother's methods after all. It was particularly worrying, however, to see that it was Twilight Sparkle who was now having the most difficulty. Out of the six, she and Fluttershy seemed to be struggling the most. "We stay together," she told them.

"Big sister," Luna said, "What about Black Rose?"

Celestia concentrated for a moment. The power of sunlight remained where she had detected it earlier. Something was going on, however. It was now flaring up strongly. It appeared as if Black Rose was using it on something...or against somepony.

Still, Black Rose was behaving like a friendly stranger, waiting by the doorstep until somepony invited her inside. How long was she going to going to keep up this act? Celestia shook her head. No. "Act" was a simple way to look at it. Black Rose showed something different with each encounter. Which was an act and which was her true self? What Celestia did know, however, was that, underneath the gambling and the ruthless manipulation, there was indeed the intention to aid Equestria. "It is likely that Black Rose and her allies will come here to fight Gravitas," she said. "We will not aid them." She paused, her ears perking. "An alicorn just stepped through. Just one." The others looked to Celestia in concern as she continued. "We will focus on driving back Gravitas's forces." She looked towards the doors. "Now, let's head for the throne room. The Legion cannot contain this threat by itself." She flung open the double doors and flew ahead.

* * *

><p>"Captaiiin!"<p>

In a blink of an eye, Scarlet Rabbit was flying alongside Vanguard Clash as he galloped towards the throne room. Word had already spread to all legionnaires stationed in the Royal Palace. Runners were sent out to warn the rest of Canterlot and to evacuate and keep the residents safe. "You in fighting condition, Scarlet?" Vanguard asked. "We're up against otherworldly enemies this time."

"Otherworldly, underworldly, bring it!" Scarlet exclaimed. "I've been cooped up in that hospital for so long, I'd charge Fenrir's gullet if I have to!"

"What about the rest of Special Operations?"

"I just flew past Nightcanter and Bad Arc's squads! They were already heading towards the throne room!"

Vanguard pulled out his two-bladed sword and clamped down on the grip. He could count on most of the unicorn magi to be alert from sensing that burst of magic, even if they didn't know what it was. By the time they get to the throne room, they should have a sizeable force to-

"Hey, captain, check that out!" Scarlet hollered, waving a foreleg wildly.

Vanguard looked ahead and spotted something by the end of the hallway.

Something from the end of the hallway shambled towards Vanguard and Scarlet. It looked like a typical-sized earth pony except that it had no coat, only a pale, translucent skin with a pinkish hue from the muscles beneath. Its eyes were bright golden lights, easily spotted even from a distance.

"Stop right there!" Vanguard called out. He doubted that these things would even understand him, let alone prove cooperative. Still, if a fight was going to break out, he would not be the aggressor. True enough, the thing's only answer was to quicken its pace. It had moved in a loping gait, bizarre given its pony-like shape. Vanguard tensed further when over a dozen more rounded the far corner of the hallway and followed the first one.

"So, what do we do?" Scarlet asked, pulling out his crossbow and aiming it.

The eyes of the things flared and their loping gait sped into a near-sprint. Vanguard readied his weapon. "Kill them," he said.

With a shrug, Scarlet fired his weapon, plunging a bolt deep into the skull of the lead creature. A glowing, silver liquid spurted out of the wound, spraying all over the floor as the impact sent it flying into its allies. The other creatures didn't even slow down. Vanguard stepped back as one of the creatures lunged clumsily at him. He swung his weapon, cutting the thing's throat wide open. Silvery liquid poured out of the wound, rapidly pooling beneath it.

"Woah!" Scarlet cried out. "Check that out, captain!"

To Vanguard's horror, the creature Scarlet had shot was back on its hooves. Its bolt wound continued to leak silvery fluid, but it continued to advance. Likewise, the one that he had cut down had also stood up, its head shifting unsteadily on its nearly severed neck. "Stay cautious, Scarlet," he said. "Focus on hampering their movement if they can't be killed." He slashed at another shambling thing, cutting open both its front knees. Silvery fluid spurted, and the thing collapsed.

"You're not even surprised, captain?" Scarlet asked. He hovered just out of reach of the shambling creatures while he reloaded

"I expected troops working with an alicorn general to have some kind of edge," Vanguard replied. He hamstrung a second shambling creature, then slammed his shoulder against another. "I suppose 'unkillable' is their choice."

Even with their legs badly damaged, the things dragged themselves across the floor to get at the two. Both of them fell back to keep from being surrounded and overwhelmed.

"Fire!"

A barrage of bolts whistled past Vanguard and Scarlet, bowling the first of the pale-skinned things into the ones behind them. Vanguard looked behind him and spotted half a dozen pegasus legionnaires reloading. Six earth ponies rushed past him and into the fray.

"These things don't die!" Scarlet yelled at their reinforcements. "Put more bolts into them until they can't stand up!"

"By the prince!" one of the pegasus legionnaires called out. "What's happening to that one?"

One of the fallen things had extended a foreleg, which was wracked with violent spasms. The skin tore off as chunks of bone grew at an alarming rate, shaping the limb into something else. Vanguard's eyes widened as he recognized a crossbow's prow taking shape. A long, thick line of sinew served as a grotesque imitation of a bowstring. Around the creature, three more were doing the same thing. It was only when the thing started to draw back the weapon, using a splinter of bone as a crude bolt, did Vanguard yell a warning towards the others. "Crossbow fire! Take cover!"

The pegasi swiftly dispersed, letting the bolts fly past them. One unlucky legionnaire took a large bone splinter to the hind leg. The earth ponies slammed into the pale-skinned creatures before they could reload, knocking them down and brutally stomping on them. The stone floor ran silver, but the pale-skinned creatures did not utter a single sound. They twitched and convulsed, slowly getting closer.

Vanguard shuddered as he heard the crunch and snap of bones moving around and the squelch of muscles rearranging themselves. He bit into his weapon's grip tightly as he spotted one pale-skinned creature approaching him. He recognized the still-gaping wound on its neck. His eyes narrowed when he saw that the cut looked smaller. Its cheek bones bulged and stretched into long, curving, blade-like protrusions that pierced its flesh and skin. "It takes more than imitation to get _this_ weapon style down," he growled around the hilt of his blades. He lunged at the thing, ducking its first swipe and swinging his neck from side to side. His blades slashed through its snout, severing muscles that attached its lower jaw to the rest of its head. One of its bone-blades clattered to the floor before it could even swing, and, when it did, Vanguard met its blow with an armored shoulder, sending it reeling back.

"Terrato's broken horn!" one of the earth pony legionnaires snarled. "I'd have killed a dozen wolven with what I've thrown at these things!"

Vanguard looked around him. Their enemies were moving more and more fluidly. Several were covered in thick bony plates where a legionnaire's barding would go. Their hooves had grown to twice the size of a pony's, also reinforced with bone. Another bolt whizzed past him, striking one of the creatures at the very center of its forehead. He followed it up by cutting down the creature's front legs.

"Hey, captain!" Scarlet yelled. "That one's not moving so much anymore!"

Vanguard followed Scarlet's pointing. True enough, one of the creatures was simply twitching in place. A dozen bolts covered its head and shoulders. Its bone armor had been shattered and its crossbow had been pulled off. All four of its limbs had also been broken in several places. "Well, that's one," he muttered. He reared up and brought down his front tramplers on his opponent, snapping its remaining bone-blade and crushing half its face in the process. Two more of the pale-skinned creatures rushed him. These ones swung their bone-blades wildly, flinging red blood at him. A legionnaire limped past him, carrying a badly wounded comrade out of the fray.

"We've got more of them coming in!" Scarlet yelled.

The look of horror on some of the legionnaires with him didn't sit in well with Vanguard. He could see them panting and he could hear his own ragged breathing. A few were down and bleeding. The sight of enemy reinforcements left him wondering where his are.

A bolt of purple magic streaked past Vanguard from behind, blasting several of the pale-skinned creatures off their hooves. He looked towards the source. The color of that magic was familiar…

Shining Armor stood at the head of a squad of unicorn royal guards. His horn was still crackling with magic as he waved a hoof to order his troops to fire. More blasts of magic met the incoming enemy. "Clash," Shining Armor said with a smile.

Vanguard snorted and readied himself for another charge. "Armor," he said.

* * *

><p>"W-what's going on here?"<p>

Twilight Sparkle stared at the battle raging before her and her friends. Legionnaires and royal guards clashed with bizarre, pony-shaped…things. Spells and bolts flew through the air echoed by clangs, and crunches. She spotted Captain Bad Arc and his squad in the thick of the fray.

"Captain Nightcanter!" Pinkie Pie called after another Special Operations Captain in the midst of the battle. The high-pitched yell shook Twilight out of her daze.

Nightcanter glanced towards them briefly and grinned. "I'm a little too busy to be foalsitting you today, Pinkie Pie!" she shouted. "Try not to get mangled by these things!" As she finished shouting, one the strange creatures brought down its hooves on her head. Nightcanter's only response was a smile and a gentle shimmer. Another moment passed and the real Nightcanter emerged behind the creature, slashing its throat out with a knife so savagely that its head lolled to the side. Silvery fluid pumped out of the open wound and all over the floor. Pinkie Pie looked away and covered her mouth, her face looking a little green around the edges. Twilight felt her own stomach protest.

"We've got to help them!" Applejack said. She had uncoiled her chain and whirled it. Twilight didn't recall seeing her loop the end, but it already was.

"No," Celestia said. "If we insist on starting with the rank-and-file, Caro will bury us in a mountain of flesh. If we strike her down, they will all fall dormant."

Applejack looked at the princess, her lips twisting. She put away her chain, however.

Twilight looked at her mentor, not quite sure how to feel at the moment. It felt strange to hear Princess Celestia advocating striking down anything. Indeed, ever since the mention of this Gravitas, the change upon the princess was obvious. Obvious and unnerving. "Princess, what are these things?" she asked.

"Flesh constructs," Celestia replied. "I know the pony who would use such things: Caro Artifex, the worst of Gravitas's lackeys."

"I've never met that pony before, big sister," Luna said.

Celestia smiled wryly and intoned a spell. Golden light gathered at the tip of her horn. "I envy you so much in that regard, little sister." A brilliant ray of light burst from Celestia's horn, neatly slicing through several of the flesh constructs and leaving a clear passage through the crowded hall. There was no sign of blood or any fluid save for a brief sizzling. The constructs, even the ones cut perfectly in half, crawled around, still trying to fight. "Legionnaires, keep that path clear!" Celestia took to the air, slicing her way through the battle.

Twilight expected the legionnaires, ponies who had served only Terrato all their lives, to hesitate at Celestia's bold orders. Instead, they gave a rousing cheer and plunged into the path, driving the flesh constructs back and leaving the way open. There was little time to marvel at the sight, however; Celestia flew ahead, leaving her and the others to follow.

They pushed through the battle and went through a few more hallways. As they came closer to the throne room, the fights grew thicker and more gruesome. Bodies littered the floor, with some even piled up, as the fights continued to rage. The floor was slick with blood and silver fluid, making galloping across it dangerous. In one instance, Twilight's hooves failed to find any traction, and she nearly slid into a pile of still-convulsing flesh constructs. It was only a timely pull on her tail by Celestia that kept her standing.

As they reached the last hallway before their destination, a new problem emerged. They had reached the area where the invaders had taken control. There was no fighting here, only a long, steady stream of flesh constructs making their way towards the contested sections of the Royal Palace.

"We have to go through!" The tip of Celestia's horn began to glow again. Before she could finish the spell, however, an arrow flew past her, piercing the knee of the closest flesh construct. Several more arrows followed suit, each one finding a home in a limb or an eye.

Rainbow Dash looked at the arrows, her eyes widening. "Longstride!" she exclaimed. She looked behind them, towards the confused mass of fighting. Twilight looked as well, but she didn't see anypony with a bow. What she did, however, was just as surprising. A pegasus rounded a corner that they just passed. At least, she thought it was a pegasus. As it neared, she noticed the blades attached to its wings, the stinger-like contraption on its tail, and the insectoid mask.

"Sablesteel…" Pinkie murmured. She stepped towards the pegasus. Jaw set and resolute. "Sablesteel, I-!"

Sablesteel said nothing as she flew past, a whirlwind of toxic blades. She lashed out at different directions, a vile green liquid splashed where she cut, melting flesh, even bone.

Rarity whipped around, blades ready. Twilight flinched when one of them flew towards her, whizzing just past her cheek. "Stop right there, Lion Court!" she demanded.

Twilight looked behind her. Why was Rarity acting out? It was just Lion Court. He's always been there to help- she stopped. No, that wasn't true. Why did she even think of it that way? Rarity was right. This was another Thorn!

"I'm impressed," Lion Court said. He also had his blades out, a particularly wide-bladed one had blocked Rarity's weapon. "You spotted me when I didn't want you to."

"I have an eye for detail, Lion Court," Rarity said. "You used the same spell on me twice, so I noticed the small things that made a suggestion not mine."

"I'll keep that in mind when we duel again." Lion Court knelt briefly towards the princesses. "For now, we are here to fulfill our joint defense against Gravitas. My mistress sends her regards, your highnesses."

Rarity looked as if she was about to follow Lion Court, but a stern look from Celestia stopped her. "We will deal with the Thorns later. The longer we take to deal with Caro Artifex, the more ponies will be hurt and killed by these things."

All of them moved on, slipping past the openings left for them by Black Rose's thorns.

Finally, they reached the throne room. Six hulking monstrosities guarded the doors, each one the size of a minotaur and covered with layers of thick bone plates. Their spike-covered hooves looked big enough to crush a stallion with a single stomp. Despite their ferocious appearance, they did not attack when the group approached. Instead, they parted while two of them opened the double doors.

"The adaptive body modification is taking longer than expected to begin," somepony said from the other side of the doors. "Repeated bone armor formation is also taking its toll on the already limited regeneration. The harder they become to hurt, they easier they become to kill."

Twilight frowned at that. It sounded like somepony speaking her notes out loud. She peered into the throne room as soon as the giant flesh constructs started to push them open. To her outrage, she spotted somepony sitting on Princess Celestia's throne. She ran in as soon as there was enough space between the doors to squeeze through.

The alicorn mare sitting on Celestia's throne had a nut brown coat, and a mane that looked like a constant stream of bluish-white sparks blowing from the back of her neck and head. She rose, standing a couple of inches shorter than Celestia, and smiled. "Good, you've arrived," she said. "Undamaged too."

"Caro Artifex," Celestia said. She looked around, eyes narrowing. Twilight already knew why. Several dead royal guards and legionnaires had been placed in neat piles around the corners of the throne room. Some of the smaller flesh constructs were tending to them, removing barding, setting aside weapons, even cleaning the spilled blood. "Why have you done this?"

Caro descended the steps. "Orders," she said as if the slaughter was a chore and nothing more. Twilight grit her teeth, spells already going through her mind. She glanced at the others: Rarity had already pulled her blades out, Applejack, her chain.

"Did the Council of Elders authorize this?" Celestia asked. The princess's tone surprised Twilight. She had expected her mentor to be furious at the sight of these dead ponies. The calm was…disconcerting.

"The Council ordered us to secure Regia Carnifex and the Blasphemous Rift. As for the royalty, we were supposed to work with them. Unless they resist. In that case, we were told to execute Princess Luna's old sentence and detain both Princess Celestia and Prince Terrato."

"You've made no effort to work with us at all!" Luna said. "The first thing you did upon gating here was loose these things upon us!"

"The mortals struck first," Caro replied. "They attacked as soon as I arrived."

Luna spoke through grit teeth. "You're lying."

"It's what my official report will say. I am so glad to be able to field-test my constructs like this. The mortals are putting up a good fight. By the time I exterminate the ones here for 'attacking' me, I should be able to make enough adjustments to prepare them against Oceanus's troops." Caro's horn glowed blue as she pulled a small glass bottle seemingly out of thin air. "Now, Princess Luna, I happen to have some specially prepared liquid enchantment here. A single dose and you'll be censured quickly and painlessly, _without_ damaging your mortal remains." Her eyebrows furrowed as she touched a hoof to her chin. "The data should be interesting."

Luna's horn flashed dark purple.

"Luna, wait." Celestia placed a hoof on her younger sister, drawing a confused look from Luna.

"Big sister, this alicorn just asked me to kill myself so she could experiment on my body!"

Celestia walked over to one of the piles of dead legionnaires. "Gravitas only sent you, Caro? He's being complacent."

"He trusts in my ability to defeat Princess Luna," Caro replied. "We know that the Elements of Harmony are not yet ready. We also knew that it would be Prince Terrato who would meet with the general. I do hope he proves to be civil. I need to discuss a great deal of necromantic theory with him. As for the mortal who stole your power, she will not be coming here. The general has sent somepony else to deal with her."

"I see." Celestia bent over the piles of weapons, neatly stacked next to the dead bodies, and picked out a sword with her magic. The point had been shattered, but the rest of the weapon was still intact. "You have no respect for the mortals, Caro," Celestia said. "As such, you do not belong here. I'm going to censure you now." She picked the sword up with her mouth.

"Really?" Caro said with a chuckle. "I'd be worried if you still had your power, your highness. You used to be the princess of sunlight. Right now, you're just the princess of ci-!"

Celestia took exactly two steps. Twilight, for some odd reason, felt compelled to count them. Two steps, then leaped. The next thing Twilight knew, Celestia was already standing in front of Caro Artifex, her head low and turned to her left. The sword she was holding was faintly bathed with golden light, a light that formed a blade-like shape past the sword's metal, making it appear as a very long sword of radiance.

Twilight shook her head. A second passed before she remembered that she should breathe. The motion should be simple enough to understand. Princess Celestia had leapt towards Caro Artifex and slashed with her sunlight-enhanced sword. The simplicity belied the impressiveness in that move. Her mentor jumped such a great distance with no support from her wings. Not even with a running start. I happened so fast that nopony so much as winced at the killing blow.

Caro Artifex had not moved from her spot. She stared at Celestia, her mouth wide open and her eyes bulging. She looked down towards her chest.

Twilight also looked towards that spot. A clang resounded throughout the throne room as the lower half of Caro's breastplate struck the floor. On the alicorn's chest was an enormous cut, a blackened horizontal line that stretched from one shoulder to the other. No blood dripped from the wound. Instead, thin wisps of smoke escaped from it. Behind Caro, an enormous, crescent-shaped cut had sundered the stairs leading to Celestia's throne.

Celestia spat the sword out. The light faded from the weapon as she let go. "When you get back, tell the Council of Elders that I will do the same to any alicorn who comes here with the same disregard for mortals as you have," she said.

Bright light burst from Caro Artifex's wound, her open mouth, and her eyes. She pitched forward, her knees buckling under her. By the time she struck the ground, she resembled nothing more than a burnt-out shell.

When she finally tore her eyes off the sight, Twilight looked around in alarm, expecting an outraged attacked from all the flesh constructs in the room. None of them moved. After a while, she mustered the courage to grasp one of them with her telekinesis. Encountering no resistance, Twilight tipped one over. The flesh construct collapsed into a moldering heap, turning into clumps of dust in a minute. She looked around and saw the others doing the same.

"Well, that takes care of things," Applejack said. She looked warily at the princesses. The rest of her friends did the same.

"Big sister," Luna said.

Celestia turned to face them. The stern look on her face made all of them stand up straight. "We have to go," she said. "Terrato has gone to negotiate with Gravitas, but it is plain to see that there is no negotiating with that fanatic. He must be censured from this world before he destroys everything."

"Big sister, if we go to Sky Mirror Lake to attack Gravitas, what of the Elements of Harmony?" Luna looked towards Twilight and the others. "If we leave them here in Canterlot, Black Rose will take advantage of our absence."

"We are taking them with us."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "And take them that much closer to the Blasphemous Rift? I agree that Gravitas is the worse threat, but we shouldn't just ignore Black Rose!"

Celestia looked over to the burnt out remains of Caro Artifex. "It seems that ever since I lost the power of sunlight, everypony has been underestimating me," she said. She smiled slightly. It wasn't the sort of reassuring smile that Twilight was used to seeing. "Black Rose thinks that she is the only gambler in all of this. I can place bets too. We've been on the defensive for too long. This is why she has had so much space to move around." The smile disappeared and her eyes narrowed. "We will censure Gravitas and call her bluff. Let her try to open the seals. She will lose this game she loves so much."

"Princess…" Twilight felt herself smile. Her mentor's confidence was inspiring.

"Black Rose gave me but a cinder of the power of sunlight," Celestia said. "This cinder will spark the flame that will burn her plans away."


	45. Kings, Heroes, and Breakers

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 45: Kings, Heroes and Breakers**

_The smell of pine and the distinct knock of her hooves going over hardwood brought a smile to Applejack. She had been walking far too often on stone these days, whether it was the regal marble of the Royal Palace or the grim granite of FangBreaker Fortress. Stone was…nice, but she preferred the wooden floors and walls of a farmhouse. There was something about the sight of warm, natural browns, the sound of well-used floorboards creakin, and the feel of a smooth finish against her hooves that made her more comfortable than any castle or fortress. It was great to be back home again._

_When her foreleg went up to push the door open on its own, Applejack realized that something was wrong. First of all, she shouldn't be home. She should be in the Royal Palace, resting up before she went with her friends to face this Gravitas pony. What in tarnation was she-? She looked to the hoof she was pushing the door with. This has happened before. As she expected, she found herself looking at a large stallion hoof attached to a leg covered in deep russet fur. She wasn't Applejack right now. Once more, she was Apple Slice._

_The door she just opened led into an enormous bedroom. A red brick fireplace dominated the right side of the room, the flames roaring within it lighting the place up in a bright orange glow and making it uncomfortably hot inside._

_It was the bed that held Apple Slice's attention, however. The sheets were wool, dyed red and decorated with apple motifs. The bed posts were wood, lovingly polished and carved to resemble apple tree branches, complete with fruit and leaves. A very old, very worn stallion lay on the bed, all but buried up to his neck in blankets. Upon seeing Apple Slice, the stallion smiled wanly and tried to rise. Apple Slice's hesitant hoof steps became swift, alarmed ones. He was by the old stallion's side in an instant, front hooves gently pressed against the old stallion's shoulders._

_"It's just me, pa," Apple Slice said. "No need to trouble yourself on my account,"_

_Applejack thought back to Granny Smith's story about Apple Slice. This must be Apple Core. There was a tremble in Apple Slice's voice, a slight tremble that told so much: affection for his father, a great deal of sorrow for seeing him like this…this couldn't be the Apple Slice who attacked his father, like Granny Smith said._

_"You took your time, son of mine," Apple Core said. His voice was barely a whisper, and even that seemed to strain him. "A day more and it'd be a funeral you'd come home to."_

_"Pa, don't joke about…"_

_Apple Core frowned slightly. The lines made his face look like badly crumpled parchment. "I'm dying, Slice," he said. "I can feel it: a chill that this mountain of blankets and that inferno over there can't keep away. An Apple should face the truth head on."_

_"Pa…"_

_Applejack felt tears welling up her eyes. Hers or Apple Slice's it was impossible to tell. It didn't matter either._

_"Hush, colt, listen. I'm tiring quickly and this is my last chance."_

_Applejack felt her "host" swallow."Alright, pa, I'm listening."_

_"You must have heard by now. Princess Celestia wants the Apple Family to join her in her 'Heartland'." Apple Core smiled, his thin lips looked so stretched that Applejack feared that they would crack and bleed. "Must be because we're such shining examples of her ponyhood ideals. Either that or she had one of our reds and didn't want to go without."_

_Apple Core's shoulders quivered. He opened his mouth, but all that came out were dry, hacking noises. For a horrible moment, Applejack thought that Apple Core was being wracked by a coughing fit. That moment passed, and she realized that he was laughing. "Pa," Apple Slice said, "about that…"_

_The laughter died abruptly. "I said no." Apple Core's eyebrows furrowed deeply. "The Apple Family has always supported the Legion. We stay here." The defiant expression softened. "Would have had Leaf put that down in a rambling, fancy-worded letter, except Peel wanted to delay it. He said that this answer was going to decide the family's future so the next generation should decide."_

_Then Apple Core did cough. Apple Slice moved to help him by rubbing his back, but he shrugged the effort away. "Would have whipped your brother for that, but he was right. I'll be dead before that barrier goes up. I shouldn't make the final decision on something I won't live to see. So our answer will be up to my successor." His smile returned as he placed a hoof over Apple Slice's. "That's you, son."_

_Apple Slice didn't speak right away. It wasn't shock that held him motionless, Applejack could tell that much. He must have thought that his father might do this. "Pa…" Apple Slice's unsure tone confirmed it. He did know, and he had feared it. "Pa, I…you know that I'm the worst farmer in all of Equestria. I can't even touch our crops! Peel, he…he's the one with the skills and the know-how. He-!"_

_Apple Core held his son's hoof tighter. "Peel does have the know-how," he said. "Since I've taken to bed, he's been managing the business: from the planting, to the harvest, to the selling. He works hard and thinks smart."_

_"Then why don't you-?"_

_"Because the Apple Family is more than just the business!" Apple Core started coughing again. This time, he didn't protest when Apple Slice put a hoof against his back. "I trust Peel to bring in the bits, to keep you all fed, and to keep a roof over your heads. But to the family's principles, the family's direction, I can trust only you." Apple Core's gaze hardened. "You serve with the Legion. You're not mired in the day-to-day like the others so you understand why the Apple Family must stay. That's why I picked you."_

_The wheels in Applejack's mind were already turning. 'I think I got it! Apple Slice wanted the Apples to stay in the Barrier Lands. But the family ended up in the Heartland anyway so… ' Applejack remembered the Apple Family version again. Granny Smith had mentioned Apple Peel. 'It must have been Apple Peel,' she thought. 'He must have done something underhoofed to get Apple Slice cast out so the rest of the family can move into the Heartland! He must have made all that stuff about Apple Slice going berserk to cover up what he did!'_

_Apple Slice matched his father's grip. "I understand, pa," he said. "You get some rest now, I'll see you in the morning." He turned around and headed for the door. Applejack didn't miss Apple Core's parting words, however, and that meant Apple Slice didn't._

_"No, you won't…"_

_Apple Slice closed the door behind him before letting out a long sigh. He caught himself short when he noticed that he wasn't alone in the hallway. Just a few feet away, an earth pony stallion stood facing him. Applejack didn't recognize the light green coat or the short, curly, white mane. But the way the two stood in front of each other gave her a good idea. This must be Apple Peel._

_"So what did pa have to say?" the light green stallion asked._

_"Peel, that's-!"_

_Apple Peel snorted. "Oh, relax. He insists on keeping it a big secret, but everypony already knows that he wants you to lead the family." Apple Peel extended a foreleg when Apple Slice walked towards him, then put it on his shoulder when he was close enough. "By the way, welcome home, big brother."_

_Applejack hesitated at such affection being shown between the two brothers. She had expected Apple Peel to be such a villain. He didn't have an evil grin or a haughty smirk. He didn't even speak in a disrespectful tone to his older brother. 'He's just good at hiding it,' she insisted to herself. 'That's all.'_

_It was Apple Slice's turn to snort. "Home is it?" he asked in mock annoyance. "You know, from all the forced smiles and cold stares I got when I came here, I could have sworn I wandered into the Pears' farm by mistake._

_Apple Peel chuckled and then walked over to a nearby window. He opened it and began to climb outside. "Come on," he said. The two of them climbed up the side of the house, expertly navigating the window sills and beams until they made it to the roof. There, the two of them lay back-first on the shingles and looked up to the night sky. They were quiet for a while so Applejack simply enjoyed the feel of the night breeze and admired the full moon out._

_"I'm sorry if you didn't get the welcome you deserved," Apple Peel said. He looked at Apple Slice when he said that. Applejack saw sincerity on his face. "You're a homecoming hero, Slice. You should have gotten a feast, but the worst welcome in Equestria won't change that fact." He looked up again. "It's just that everypony's worried about the princess's invitation and pa's condition. Throwing a party just fell to the wayside."_

_"It's not just that, is it?" Apple Slice asked._

_Apple Peel sighed. "Everypony knows pa's chosen you to be his successor. A lot of folks are worried that you being a legionnaire means the family's going to refuse the invitation to the Heartland."_

_"Sounds like everypony's made the decision to go there already," Apple Slice said. He tried to sound flippant, but Applejack could feel the tension within him._

_"A lot have," Apple Peel said. "Including me."_

_"Peel…"_

_"Hear me out, Slice. The Peaches have already accepted. The Cherries and the Oats too. That's nearly all our business partners. Woodsdale, Mistleton, the Apple Vale, and Highstable, all our important clients, are going to be part of the Heartland. If we stay in the Barrier Lands, we'll lose all of them. The Apple Family will suffer."_

_"What of pa's wish, Peel?" Apple Slice asked._

_"Pa's led the family through good and bad times," Peel said. " I've always respected him and I always will. But pa...he…he's always been so attached to the Legion and its work. You know the story. He always wanted to be a legionnaire, but his grandpa groomed him for farm work." Applejack heard the wistfulness in Peel's voice as he went on. "These past years, it didn't matter if we just tripled our earnings with the biggest harvest ever. The most important news was another big victory for the Legion thanks to the Legendary Apple Slice." He looked over to Apple Slice again. "I won't pretty it up. Pa's been living his dream through you. I really think that's what colored his decision."_

_"You make it sound like pa only made that decision because he was deluding himself," Apple Slice said. Applejack felt his muscles tense and his voice harden. "There's a lot of worth in wanting to support the Legion."_

_"That's not what I meant at all." Applejack didn't miss the frightened backpedalling in Apple Peel's tone. "We'd all be dead without the Legion," he said. "Any foal can tell you that."_

_"Then what are you telling me that isn't something I'd hear from a foal?" Apple Slice asked. "Pa's still alive and you're already telling me to go against him!" His voice softened when Apple Peel flinched. "Sorry. I'm not going to hurt you, Peel."_

_"I know. It's just hard not to flinch when the pony known for strangling giant bear monsters raises his voice at you." Apple Peel cleared his throat. "Look, if the family stays, we'll have to start from scratch. Half this year's harvest will rot in our cellars while we scramble to find buyers. The next year, maybe it'll be a little better…or worse." He stood up and looked down on Apple Slice. "I'm not the successor, Slice, you are. I've accepted that. All I can do is tell you the side of the truth that pa won't."_

_Apple Slice continued to stare up at the night sky. "Peel," he said softly. "I have no place in the Heartland. My place is here with the Legion. If you all go…"_

_"Will you really hold us all here for your sake?" Apple Peel asked._

_"No!" Apple Slice slammed a hoof against the roof, cracking the roof. He looked to Apple Peel and sighed. "Let's face it, Peel, I can't lead this family. When the time comes, I'll send you all off to the Heartland and give the position to you."_

_"And you'll stay here with the Legion?" Apple Peel asked. "By yourself?"_

_"Hey, I've made a few friends in the Legion. They'll be more than enough."_

_Applejack felt her chest ache. That was a lie. Terrible as she was with telling or noticing them, she knew this one._

_Apple Peel offered a hoof towards Apple Slice, who took it and stood up."Thank you for understanding, Slice," he said._

_Apple Slice was about to say something, but Applejack felt her vision fade and her hearing dim…_

Applejack opened her eyes. She was on a bed, in their shared quarters within the Royal Palace. As the vision receded, she looked towards the chain she kept by her bedside. As she expected, she caught the last gleam of light from it just as it dimmed. What had happened to the succession after that? She had expected Apple Peel to be the sort to make up stories to discredit his brother so he could take over. But the two of them were so amiable to one another that it just didn't make sense. What had happened? Who was to blame in that terrible misunderstanding?

She turned her thoughts to other things. There was no way of knowing until the next time she had a vision. For now, she focused on what had happened and will happen. Princess Celestia planned on attacking Gravitas in Sky Mirror Lake. They were all supposed to rest up and make their preparations for what was likely going to be a big fight. She looked around the room and sighed at the empty, unused beds. "Land's sakes, was I the only pony who thought getting some sleep before doing something dangerous was a good idea?" she asked. She got up, put on her hat, and coiled the chain around her neck. She hoped that her friends were, at least, nearby.

* * *

><p>"I want all of you to prepare yourselves before we go to Sky Mirror Lake," Celestia said. "Rest your bodies and steel your minds. Not only will we face a powerful enemy, we will also behold the Old Kingdom with our own eyes."<p>

Even while her friends started moving, Twilight continued to stand there, waiting. Even she didn't know what, however. Perhaps it was for some kind of acknowledgment, but what kind? Was she waiting for Princess Celestia to have a few more words just for her? No, faithful student or not, that was arrogant. Perhaps she was waiting for mentor to look at the crescent-shaped cut across the floor, the only sign that there had been an alicorn there who was cut down so quickly and viciously that it left them all dumbfounded, and show some guilt. No, that was also arrogant.

_"I have never killed a mortal before."_

Twilight saw the other meaning in those words now. A mortal. Princess Celestia was no stranger to killing somepony in a welter of blood and ashes. She didn't want to hurt mortals, but she had shown no compunction towards attacking her own kind. '"Celestia: Just like us", huh?' she thought. For years, Celestia's kind demeanor and peaceful ways had masked this side of her. Twilight had expected it when she found out that Celestia had fought her brother, and had fought many times before. Yet, seeing it so vividly, Twilight had never before been more conscious of the great gulf between her and her mentor.

Twilight continued to stand there, hesitant and expectant at the same time. Celestia did not say anything else. Instead, she had turned around and began assisting the legionnaires that had come in to take care of their fallen comrades.

"Twilight Sparkle!"

Twilight nearly jumped at the mention of her name, but it was Luna who called her, not Celestia. "Yes, your highness?" she asked.

"Are you alright? You look a little dazed." Luna nodded towards the throne room's exit. "A little walk to clear your thoughts perhaps?" she asked.

The two of them left the throne room together. Twilight had heard Applejack tell Rainbow Dash earlier about "getting some shut-eye". She considered doing the same, but she knew that all these feelings she had right now would just keep her wide-awake.

"Pray, forgive my sister's abruptness, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said after a while. "It seems that every second Gravitas spends on this world only serves to worsen her mood. I fear she might explode if he lasts a month here."

Twilight glanced over her shoulder and towards the throne room. She could put it down to mood. After all, the princess has had very few reasons to feel considerate of others these days. She doubted that it was solely that. The change in Princess Celestia was not merely inflicted upon her. It was brought out. "About that," she said, "what happened with this Gravitas that has her so upset anyway?"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Besides wanting to kill everypony in Equestria?" she asked.

"I-I mean, there's more to it than that, right? Not that killing everypony isn't a good enough reason or-!"

"You can stop floundering," Luna said with a smile. "I know what you mean. And there is. I don't know much of the details, but I do know that the animosity between my sister and Gravitas has existed as early as when Lexarius," the smile disappeared, "was still…Lexarius."

Twilight tried to imagine being angry with somepony for hundreds of years and failed. "What about you, your highness?" she asked. "You don't seem to share the same animosity Princess Celestia has for Gravitas."

"I will certainly do everything to protect Equestria from Gravitas," Luna replied. "But, as big sister said, I've never had to face him during a council meeting. I think it's a good thing too. Somepony has to hold her back if things get especially violent."

Twilight didn't answer. The image of her mentor created by this conversation made her uncomfortable. The two of them passed through more hallways, all the while walking past injured ponies being carried off and bloodstains being cleaned. Finally, she decided to change the topic to something else, something that she had been meaning to ask as early as when Prince Terrato first narrated the various rebellions back in the Barrier Lands. "Your highness, what is the King like? She asked.

"His majesty, King Sanctus Dominus, Sixteenth Ascendant to the Throne, is beloved by his subjects for his stern but even-hoofed rule. He ascended during a troubled time, when the void rifts threatened to consume great portions of our heavenly realm. After overcoming this crisis, he chose to share the Throne with her majesty, Divina Gratia. Together, they have led the Eternal Herd to an era of stability and peace."

Twilight frowned. "That sounds like something I'd have read off a book, your highness," she said.

"Which is exactly how I came upon it," Luna said, her smile widening. "Well, how it translates to this language anyway. I was born after the First Rebellion, Twilight Sparkle, so I've never met his majesty."

"I've noticed that you don't call him 'father'." Upon saying that, Twilight bit her lip. That was easily too far. She felt her heart skip a beat when the smile faded from Luna's face and a distant look took over her eyes.

"That is a privilege I dare not take until I stand before him for the first time," Luna said quietly. "With everything that's transpired, I can't say I'm looking forward to that encounter."

"But you've done a lot for Equestria!" Twilight insisted. "I'm sure he'll be proud to call you his daughter!" She felt some relief to see that some of Luna's smile had returned.

"We'll see," Luna said. She stopped walking, prompting Twilight to do the same. They did so in time to see Pinkie Pie run past them. She had her stone tablet out and it was glowing. "We must part ways here, Twilight Sparkle. There's another pony I would like to speak to before we head out." Luna flapped her wings and hovered. "Thank you for indulging me. Try to get some rest." She flew off towards Pinkie's direction.

Princess Luna had just turned a corner view when Twilight heard another familiar voice.

"Tell the nobles that the next pony who sends me this kind of proposition is getting clapped in irons! Also pass this along to the rest of the Royal Guard: anypony who thinks it's a good use of their time to pass these letters along is on latrine duty for a month!"

"Yes, Unicorn Guard Captain!"

That sounded like Shining Armor and another royal guard, a rather furious Shining Armor and a cowed subordinate. Twilight trotted towards the sound, turning a corner as she did so. As she had expected, she found her scowling, still-armored brother and a sheepish-looking royal guard. What she didn't expect, however, was to find Princess Cadance and Vanguard Clash.

It wasn't just the unexpected company that surprised Twilight. Shining Armor's right foreleg was heavily bandaged from shoulder to hoof. A great splotch of red stood out just above his knee. A few minor cuts also marred his face, making his scowling visage even more disturbing.

"Shining Armor, please," Cadance said. "You're going to reopen your wounds!"

"Sorry, dear," Shining Armor sighed. "It's just…the nerve of them! We barely drive away an attack and here they are sniffing after Twiley like-!"

"Armor," Vanguard said. He tapped Shining Armor on the shoulder and pointed towards Twilight.

"Oh!" Shining Armor's scowl vanished in an instant. "Hey, Twiley. Glad to see you came out of this a lot better than me and Clash over here."

Twilight looked towards Vanguard. Portions of his nightsteel full plate had been removed to tend to the wounds that had gone through the gaps in his armor. His right shoulder, in particular, was bloody and bandaged. His champron was also off, revealing several small cuts to his forehead and cheeks. "I'm so glad the two of you are alright," she said. She turned her attention back to her brother. "What were you talking about, a few seconds ago?"

A look of embarrassment crossed Shining Armor's face for a moment before being replaced by a frown. "An _unimportant_ matter," he said, "which, of course, some nobles have decided to bring up when we've got regenerating monsters popping up inside the palace."

Twilight spotted another group of royal guards making their way to her brother. He noticed as well and looked at her sheepishly. "Looks like I'm needed elsewhere," he said. He gave Twilight a pat on the shoulder and Cadance a peck on the cheek before leaving.

Cadance watched forlornly as Shining Armor limped off before facing Twilight. "And I've got reports to make to Princess Celestia," she said.

"Is it about Sky Mirror Lake?" Twilight asked.

"Yes. It's great to see you well, Twilight. I hope we get a better chance to speak when everything has calmed down."

Cadance flew off, leaving Twilight and Vanguard together. They walked the halls, making their way to the quarters Twilight shared with her friends.

"You should be resting, Twilight Sparkle," Vanguard said. He stepped gingerly with his right foreleg. "I already know about what Princess Celestia has asked of you and the others."

"And I already heard that from Princess Luna earlier," Twilight replied. "I am resting, even if I'm not dozing off. What about you? You're injured, but you're still walking around."

"I'm not going with you," Vanguard said. "Most of the Legion here has been ordered to regroup, secure everything, then provide reinforcements."

"Wait…you're not going with us? Why?"

"Shockingly enough, I'm not an Element of Harmony," Vanguard said, his lips curving slightly. "Not everypony gets to teleport around with royalty."

Twilight fell silent. She hadn't expected this, even though Vanguard was right and she should have. 'It's fine,' she thought. 'I have the others with me. He'll probably come with the reinforcements.' Outwardly, she matched his smile as the two of them walked the halls. "So, what do you think Shining Armor was talking about back there? He looked pretty upset."

"A noble sent him a letter," Vanguard replied. "He didn't read it out loud, but my guess is that it was an invitation a dinner meeting. With you included, of course."

"That's not so bad," Twilight said. "Why would that upset him?"

Vanguard raised an eyebrow. "Now, I'm really shocked," he said. "You're from Canterlot aren't you? Shouldn't you be familiar with how these things work with nobility?"

"I was a student," Twilight said defensively. "I didn't have time to associate with nobles!" Her eyes narrowed. "And how are you so familiar with 'how these things work with nobility'?"

"Mother used to be Great Delve nobility," Vanguard said offhandedly. "Until they disowned her for marrying a dog. But that's a different story. This long story short, some noble wants to marry you."

Twilight's eyes widened. _"What?"_

"What makes me wonder is that it took them this long to act." Vanguard saluted as two legionnaires stopped at attention when he passed them. "Necessity forces action it seems."

"And what could possibly necessitate marrying me?" Twilight asked.

"Avoiding Legion work, currying favor with the royalty, gaining an advantage over other nobles, being the husband of a powerful unicorn mage who's also the bearer of the Element of Magic and Princess Celestia's favored student, connections with the Unicorn Guard Captain and a Royal Niece…there are others, I'm sure. As the events that led to the reunification become clearer to the nobility, so does the evidence that you are a very influential pony."

"What about love?" Twilight asked. "Shouldn't that count?"

"Love can lead to marriage," Vanguard replied. "Or years of building a home and family can lead to love. Speaking from a noble's point of view, it would be more prudent to secure the other advantages first regardless of whether love enters the picture or not. Regardless of how you feel about it, Twilight Sparkle, you are easily the most eligible mare in all of Equestria."

Twilight felt her heart throb just a bit louder for a few beats when he said that. "What about you?" she asked softly.

"Hm?"

"Does 'all of Equestria' include you, Vanguard?"

Vanguard snorted, his smile widening just a bit more. He didn't answer right away though, and his silence wracked Twilight's nerves worse than the fear of a surprise test from the princess. "I'm just a soldier," he finally said. Her heart sank. "I wouldn't know what to do with power and influence in high society if it were offered to me."

"I-I see…" Twilight's voice trailed off. The silence wasn't just between the two of them this time. The hallway they now walked was free of the commotion that most of the Royal Palace was filled with. "What about..." She tried to walk a little closer, even brush against him in the process. She nearly tripped over her own hooves.

"Steady," Vanguard said. He reached out, pulling her close to keep her from falling over.

"What about love?"

Vanguard didn't answer. Twilight pressed her lips together, unwilling to move out of fear that doing so might affect his answer. "Twilight." She could hear him swallow, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. With his hoof so close to her chest, she didn't doubt that he could feel her heart racing. "We've been through a lot, you and I. Even if I've only known you for such a short time, you've become very dear to me." She felt him gently push her back until she was at foreleg's length. "But love…" His lips twisted. Seeing them felt like being stabbed. She could already hear the no. "It's too sudden for me. Sometimes, the burns still hurt. And you…I don't dare…"

Twilight's eyebrows furrowed. "Don't dare what?"

"Nevermind. I need time, Twilight, and Equestria needs you."

Twilight blinked a tear away. Some of the pain subsided, letting her force a smile. "Yeah…time…" she said. "I've got that."

Vanguard smiled in return. "Now, get some rest."


	46. A Pair of Foals

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 46: A Pair of Foals**

Rainbow Dash pressed herself against a wall and inched along the length of it. Right now, every open window meant danger. A single inch of her body exposed would swiftly invite an arrow to make its new home there. Longstride was standing on a perch somewhere out there, his bow drawn and his weird golden eyes searching for his target. She had to admit that it didn't make a lot of sense as to why he would want to shoot her now, but she wasn't taking any chances. Her flank still ached from the last poisoned arrow he shot at her and memories of her time with that ophidite slaver still lingered at the very edges of her thoughts.

"Hey, Rainbow! What are you doing there?"

Scarlet's irritatingly loud greeting nearly made Rainbow jump. She turned around put a hoof to her lips. "Shush!" she hissed. "Get down!"

Scarlet obliged and crouched next to her. "Why are we hiding?" he asked.

"It's Longstride," Rainbow whispered. "He's out there and I want to get to him without getting shot at."

"Longstride's not going to shoot at you!" Scarlet said with a laugh. Rainbow raised an eyebrow in response. "They've got some kind of ceasefire going on until we deal with whatever attacked the Royal Palace. Besides, the Thorns ran off as soon as all the fighting was over."

'That can't be right," Rainbow said. She bit her lower lip. Scarlet's response should have let her relax, but all it did was irritate her some more. "You mean they just came here to help fight Gravitas's soldiers and then went away?"

"Well, they might be hanging around somewhere in Canterlot," Scarlet said. "You know Black Rose's agents."

"No," Rainbow muttered. "I don't know the first thing about Black Rose's agents. That's the problem."

"So what are you going to do if you find him anyway?" Scarlet asked. "Kill him? We're sort of bound not to, you know. Heard it was Princess Celestia's orders."

"He shot me in the flank!" Rainbow grit her teeth, the pain and humiliation of that moment flashing within her mind again. She now understood why she hated being stuck in bed. Staying still made her think things through and she hated doing that. Confined to that bed, she had thought about plenty of things: from how she felt about racing Scarlet, to her time as an ophidite captive, to that time when she felt something she was sure had something to do with the Element of Loyalty. Also among them was how Longstride managed to hit her from so far away even though she was going very fast. "He deserves a bolt where his cutie mark should be!" She eyed the crossbow she had strapped to her side. "I'd beat him up at least!"

"Sounds like fun," Scarlet said. "He shot me in the flank too so I'd love to go too..."

"But?"

"Yeah..." Scarlet smiled sheepishly. "The Captain's got me saddled with a bunch of things to do before the Legion moves out for Sky Mirror Lake. Hope you catch him, Rainbow Dash. Bloody his snout for me, will you?"

Rainbow watched as Scarlet disappeared in a blink. His speed no longer surprised her, nor did his nonchalant violence. After what had happened to them with the ophidites, she had begun to agree with Vanguard Clash. Too much had been taken away from Scarlet to give him his speed and power. Some of the admiration she had felt back in Bastion City had turned into pity. How would have Scarlet turned out if those snake-monsters hadn't messed him up? Would he have been so much happier? She shook her head, however. She had other things to take care of. Things like hunting down a pegasus sniper and beating some answers out of him.

Rainbow rubbed her jaw with a hoof. Now, where would somepony armed with a bow that could shoot at anything in sight be? The most obvious location would be the highest tower in all of Canterlot, the spot where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would go to watch out for their subjects during times of trouble. She heard legionnaires call it "the peeping nest". She supposed that it could be used for that as well. Longstride could certainly use it to get his sights on anything he wanted in Canterlot. However, that spot was highly exposed. Anypony would quickly be able to tell that there was a sniper there as soon as Longstride took his first shot. No, it had to be a well-hidden spot that had a good vantage point.

'Not going to shoot at me, huh?' Rainbow thought. Scarlet's words did make some sense. During the earlier fight, Longstride was actually helping them. If he had wanted to assassinate her, he had plenty of chances. Still, her heart started beating faster when she dared to peek out a window. She stuck out as little of her head as possible. For the first time in her life, she cursed at her very visible rainbow-colored mane.

No arrow struck her head, however, allowing her a good look at the cityscape. Canterlot loved its long, thin spires. With her first sweep of the place alone, she spotted dozens of potential hiding places. She sat back down. Here was another time to think things through.

Rainbow considered asking for help. She knew that Special Operations had a lot of ponies out there to keep an eye and an ear on things. They probably already knew where Longstride had holed up, or, at least, had a really good idea. However...she didn't want to involve the Legion in this. They'd want to do things their way. They might try to arrest him, or they would chase him away. That wasn't how she wanted things to happen. It would be better if she could fight Longstride without a squad of legionnaires insisting on doing things by the book.

Her friends might be the better choice. She ruled Fluttershy out right away. Fluttershy was strong in her own way and good at a lot of things. Hunting down a pegasus sniper was not one of them. She was also a goody-four-shoes, and was more likely to protect Longstride if they did get the jump on him.

Applejack would just scold her for focusing on this instead of resting up like the princesses told them to do. Rarity would likely do the same. Rainbow didn't want to try. Applejack might use that magic chain to lasso her and tie her to a bed while Rarity would keep her fenced in with those blades.

There was no doubt that Twilight Sparkle would have a spell or two to help track down and detain Longstride. Or blow him up, electrocute him, freeze him in a block of ice, and melt him into a puddle. But Twilight was also guaranteed to be working on something more important than chasing after a Thorn who was not their biggest priority for the moment. She could be researching spells that could help against Gravitas this very moment and would snap at anypony who dared to disturb her.

That left Pinkie Pie.

"Yup, it's all up to me," Rainbow thought. She looked around again, marking each spire in her mind and creating a route that would allow her to check each of them out without double-backing and fast enough to avoid alerting Longstride. With a route and a place to take cover and plan again in mind, she started stretching her wings. Her heart was already beating fast and she hadn't even started warming up. Every encounter she had with Longstride, she wasn't aware that he was already watching. This time would be different. She was going to match her speed against his sight. This time, she was going to win.

The window frame and the palace hall she was hiding in were gone in a heartbeat. The overcast sky suggested more snowfall, Fenrir's snow of course, for the quickly approaching night. There wasn't much time to work with. The cityscape turned into a white blur as she flew into her first target. The stopped by one tower just quickly enough to peer into the window. When she saw nothing, she moved on, never stopping for more than a couple of seconds. She resisted the urge to follow a descending order, checking out the highest spots first before working her way downwards. That would be too predictable. Her chosen route moved up and down as erratically as she could make it. It seemed to be working too. She still didn't have an arrow in her flank.

More windows, none of which held what she wanted to see, streaked past her vision. She heard a couple of screams, some surprised gasps, an angry curse, and a desperate shout of "this isn't what it looks like". Still, no Longstride. She had zipped through nearly all of Canterlot's higher spires when doubt began to trickle in. Maybe Longstride wasn't even in the city. Maybe he did run off back to his mistress's lair as soon as he was done "helping" against Caro Artifex...

One window brought her to a sudden stop. She recognized the unicorn stallion lounging on a sofa and cleaning what looked like a curved blade. He spotted her too and his horn flashed briefly as he did so. Rainbow squinted at the light and then recognized who he was.

"What a pleasant surprise, Rainbow Dash, I would have thought you'd be resting by now." Lion Court sheathed his blade and walked over to the window.

"Hi, Lion Court," Rainbow replied. "I'm looking for Longstride, do you know where he is?"

Lion Court raised an eyebrow and stroke his impressive beard with a hoof. "Longstride? Now why would you be looking for him?"

Rainbow Dash slammed her front hooves together. "To beat him up for shooting me! Oh, and to...uh...ask him stuff."

Lion Court chuckled and grinned. There was something so predatory about the way he did so that Rainbow shuddered. "I suppose he does have it coming. You won't find Longstride in the city, Rainbow Dash. He's holed up in a niche up near the summit of Mount Unicornia."

Rainbow frowned. "Holed up in a niche?" she asked. "What's he doing up there?"

"His idea of 'being on stand-by'. Don't worry about getting shot at if you approach him. The mistress told him to give you a break after what he put your through."

Rainbow's frowned only deepened. She didn't need a "break". Black Rose and Longstride had some nerve treating her like a filly. "I'm off then," she said.

"Wait!" Lion Court walked towards the window and telekinetically lifted a small box towards Rainbow. "Give him this when you get to him, will you? That silly stallion's probably putting up with dried fruit again. He should really experience what Canterlot Cuisine has to offer!"

"Uh...sure," Rainbow replied. She took the box and and fiddled with some of the straps on her leather barding. When she had secured the box, she gave the unicorn a short wave. "I'm going now."

Lion Court's smile widened. "Take care now, Rainbow Dash. Don't strain yourself. A lot is expected from you in the coming days." Before Rainbow could take off, she saw the door to his room open and three mares, ones with cutie marks, entered. They giggled at Lion Court as he approached. "Ladies," he said.

Rainbow flew off before she had to see anything else. She made her way to the top of the mountain. Up there, with Canterlot's warmth and lights at a distance, the cold winds buffeted her hard enough to give her pause. She shivered as she looked around. Lion Court was right; she shouldn't be straining herself with something so important coming up. She should fly back to the city and get some rest. Longstride could wait.

Except that _he_ was holed up out here, probably reacting to this cold about as much as a tombstone would. He might even be observing her right now. If she fled, he'd shake his head in disgust. Just imagining it was enough to push Rainbow forward. She circled the mountain peak, looking for some niche that could shelter a pony. Eventually, she spotted a rocky overhang that looked suspicious. When she flew over to inspect it, she spotted the small opening into the mountainside. A closer look revealed the dim glow of a fire inside. 'Gotcha!' she thought. She lingered briefly by the entrance just to check for snares or whatnot. Then she swiftly flew in, hoping to catch him unaware.

The "cave" was barely more than a short corridor of natural rock. The entrance was barely large enough to fit Rainbow, and she considered herself particularly sleek. A small fire flickered on the floor, serving more to fill the cave with shadows than light.

Then there was Longstride, sitting by the far end of the cave with his back to the wall. He looked up just as her silhouette filled the entrance. The sight of the surprise in his face filled Rainbow's heart with exhilaration. She got him! The chances were slim, but she got him! For an instant, the two of them stared at each other blankly.

Panic seized Rainbow. She was going to lose her chance, but what was she going to do? Faced with her target, her mind fumbled with the options. She had to do something before he recovered. The thoughts flew from her mind as she flapped her wings. The next thing she knew, she had struck Longstride's midriff head-first, slamming him into the cave wall so hard that dust fell from the low ceiling. The sound of his hurt grunt and the whoosh of his breath being forced out of his body jolted her into pure instinctive motion. She felt her hoof smash into his face, heard the crunch of his head bouncing off the rock wall and then hitting the floor, and saw him roll from the impact a few times. She was on top of him in an instant, ready to rain down blows.

Rainbow's hoof had struck Longstride's face a second time when her mind finally caught up with her body. Something wasn't right. Longstride had raised his forelegs to defend himself, but the surprise should be long gone now. He still wasn't fighting back. She stopped, still defensive, but now also curious. The haze of violence lifted and details of her surroundings began to register. Longstride's bow had flown from him after her initial strike and now lay just a few feet from the entrance. Their scuffle had scattered some of the piled pieces of wood he was burning, reducing the fire to a sputtering, barely-glowing mess of ash and cinder.

As for Longstride, he lowered his forelegs. Despite the blood trickling from his nose and lips, he kept his gaze locked onto Rainbow. At this distance, she could pick more details about his strangely golden irises. They seemed to glow slightly, making it easy to notice them despite the darkness all around. As she had suspected, they did have strange letters around them. What did they mean? And just how much were they capable of?

"Are you done?" Longstride asked. He wheezed and then spat out a glob of bloody phlegm. Rainbow raised a hoof and brought it down on his face. Hesitation felt like chains dragging her foreleg back. She stopped with her hoof just an inch from her face. Despite how close the blow was, Longstride didn't even flinch.

"No!" Rainbow grit her teeth and raised her front hoof again, but the feel of Longstride's body crumpling against her strikes, elating and satisfying as it was just moments ago, left her feeling nauseous. It wasn't fair! He shot her in the flank and left her to an ophidite slaver! He deserved so much more than this little beating! An idea hit her. Longstride wasn't fighting back. He wasn't trying to weasel out of getting his face getting smacked. "Why aren't you fighting back?" she asked.

"To what end?" Longstride asked in return. "Kill me if you have the nerve. Equestria is doomed. You are so stupid that the Elements of Harmony are bound to fail. What difference does it make if I die now or a few days from now?"

Rainbow struck. This time she completed the blow. Her hoof struck Longstride's snout and banged it against the rock floor. Instead of being satisfied, she winced. "I know what you're doing," she said. "You're trying to psych me out. This must be some kind mind trick snipers use when their targets get too close!"

"Psyching you out requires that you actually use your brain, stupid mare," Longstride said.

"Then why won't you fight back?" Rainbow grabbed Longstride by the shoulders and tried to slam him against the ground again. Her forelegs trembled from the effort and she contented herself with just shaking him vigorously. "You shot me in the flank! What's stopping you now?"

Longstride kept his gaze locked onto Rainbow Dash even though she shook him hard enough to rattle his teeth. "Go back to Canterlot already," he said once the shaking stopped. "You're not here to kill me; you would have used that crossbow already if you were."

"I want you to answer some questions first!" Rainbow retorted. She pinned Longstride's shoulders to the floor. "Why'd you shoot me?"

"Orders."

"I know that part! Why were you ordered to?"

"Get off me. It's hard to talk with your hindquarters on my belly."

"Yeah right, and let you grab your bow to shoot me?"

Longstride sighed, wincing as he did so. "I'm not going to shoot you, stupid mare, my orders were to leave you alone while you rested up before going to Sky Mirror Lake. Has it not occurred to you to question why I'm alone in a cave instead of keeping an eye on you?"

Rainbow paused for a moment and then slowly let Longstride back to his hooves. She pulled out her crossbow, loaded it, and aimed at him while he gathered the scattered logs to restart the fire.

Longstride's wild, green mane looked even more disheveled after the beating he had taken. Rainbow wondered if he used his leafy hair and his woodland brown coat to his advantage by standing around looking like a bush when his targets searched for him. His leather barding looked a bit scuffed, but was otherwise fine. As for his face, his cheeks and forehead were already beginning to swell. He bled from several scrapes on his head, a small tear by his ears, his busted lip and broken nose. He moved his jaw around and then spat at the corner. She heard something small and hard skitter across the stone. She lingered around his flank, considering returning the favor. But what if the shot left him unable to talk? She still had something to ask. She shuddered at the thought of having to nurse him until he was well enough to answer. "Well," she muttered. "Scarlet said something about a ceasefire...then Lion Court...but-but I had to be sure!"

Longstride looked ready to make another derisive remark while she was talking, but he stopped and frowned when she mentioned Lion Court. "Is that how you found me here?" he asked. "Lion Court told you?"

"Yeah! He even asked me to give you this-!" Rainbow stopped as a sharp pain seized her head. Lion Court asked her to do what? Something wasn't right here. Weren't Longstride and Lion Court friends? So why was she doing Lion Court favors? "Ow! Hey, wait! He's a Thorn! Just like you! How did he-?" She looked to the small box strapped to her barding. "And he even got me to deliver your dinner!"

Longstride searched the floor for a while and then picked up what looked like pieces of metal and stone. He struck them together, sending sparks onto the gathered bits of wood. "It appears you have a brain after all," he said flatly. "Lion Court had to manipulate _something_." His voice lowered to an angry mutter that Rainbow had to strain to hear. "He's going to pay for this."

"So why were you ordered to shoot me in the flank?"

Longstride settled into a corner once the fire was going again. "The ophidites are masters of turning ponies against their kin. If anything can draw out the Element of Loyalty, it's them. I shot you so you'd be captured. So the ophidites can test you."

"I could have been killed!"

Longstride's eyes narrowed. "Better that you had died then. Better to have you fail at that point instead of during a more crucial time."

Rainbow's grip on her crossbow tightened until it started to tremble. She flew into him, shoving him against the cave's wall and forcing him to rear up. "I should shoot you right now," she growled. "You're all alone in this hole: you've got nopony coming to bail you out, your bow's out of reach, and I've got a bolt to your face. Who'd be the stupid mare then, huh?"

Longstride didn't even flinch when the bolt pressed hard enough to draw blood. "You," he said. "Seeing as you're the only mare here."

Rainbow jammed her crossbow's stock just below Longstride's ribs before backing up. He doubled over, coughing and wheezing, but he still didn't look away from her. "And you're so great and smart, right?" she asked. "You and your super-eyes, and super-bow, and your super secret group!"

Longstride righted himself and sat down. He was breathing hard when he answered. "You don't understand, stupid mare. Not surprising with your short-sighted bumbling." He looked over to the bow still lying by the cave's entrance. "A great sacrifice was made to create that bow." He touched his eye with a hoof. "Another was made to create the eyes that could use it to its potential. A third to create the back that won't break while a lifetime was spent to master it." He settled down and caught his breath. "It's not about me being smart and great. It's about making sure that everything I do is worthy of what I've been given."

Rainbow pressed her lips together. She hated the idea of it, but she did feel as if she was shrinking when his gaze went from contemptuous to angry.

"And yet here you are, blessed with natural talent abundant enough for a dozen ponies, graced with a destiny worthy of so much sacrifice. You threaten to waste it all on what? Proving that you are the fastest? Revenge? You were given an important time to rest and to prepare for a difficult time ahead. Instead, you wasted your energy chasing after me. I thought you had gained some measure of caution during your ordeal, stupid mare. I was wrong. What a foal I was for having faith."

Rainbow lowered stepped back and lowered the crossbow. "I know I should be resting. But I knew you were around," she said softly. "I wasn't sure if I could find any other time to ask."

"Ask what? What's so important for you to know that you'd risk the fate of Equestria to find out?"

"Oh stop being so dramatic!" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Is everything always about 'the fate of Equestria' to you Thorns?" Longstride continued to stare quietly, leaving Rainbow flustered. "Back in Ghastly Gorge...with that...that stallion," she said quietly. "Why'd you save me?"

The contempt in Longstride's gaze disappeared. For the first time since Rainbow burst into the cave, he looked away. "I...don't know."

Rainbow's frown returned. "What do you mean, you don't know?" she asked.

"I shouldn't have," Longstride continued. "But I did. I don't know why."

Rainbow nearly dropped the crossbow. She grit her teeth as confusion drew her chest tight. Her breathing grew shallow and rapid. "You don't know, huh?" she asked, forcing as much mocking in her tone as possible. "Guess you're a stupid stallion, doing things without thinking!"

"Yes. That's true."

"Don't admit it!" Rainbow snapped. "You're taking away the satisfaction!"

"Are you done?" Longstride asked. "Take what revenge you want and try to salvage some rest out of this fiasco."

Rainbow lowered her crossbow. "You risked my life, then you saved me. I'm not going to kill you just this once. You better have an answer when we meet again!" She faced the exit and started to flap her wings. As she came approached outside, however, it suddenly dawned on her that the winds around Mount Unicornia's summit had picked up to a fierce, howling blizzard. Shivering, she ran back in. "Foal of a nag, that's cold!" she said.

"Stupid mare," Longstride muttered. "So much for your dramatic farewell."

Rainbow turned around and sat opposite of the stallion. "Great, now everypony will think I've gone missing again!" She fell on her tail and rested her chin on her forelegs.

Longstride didn't say anything to that. Instead, he looked as if he was talking to his collar. "This is Longstride," he said. "Sablesteel, are you there?"

_"I'm busy, Longstride!"_ came a very angry reply from, what Rainbow guessed, was a mare.

"The Element of Loyalty is here with me atop Mount Unicornia, please relay this information to the rest of the Elements of Harmony. She will return once this blizzard passes."

_"How in the moon princess's star-spangled-! Nevermind! I'll get the information to them! Don't mess things up further, Longstride! And don't try anything stupid while the two of you are up there!"_

Longstride turned from his collar and looked at the fire. "It's Rainbow Dash," Rainbow told him. He looked at her questioningly. Rainbow pushed a bit of wood closer to the fire and hugged herself for warmth. "My name's Rainbow Dash, not 'Element of Loyalty' or 'stupid mare'!"

"You're a mare and you've been acting stupidly," Longstride replied. "You also bear the Element of Loyalty. Show me something that befits 'Rainbow Dash' and I'll use the name."

Rainbow opened the box that Lion Court had given her. It was packed with mountain-grown rice, fresh fruit slices, and bamboo shoots. With her stomach rumbling, she grabbed a hoof-ful and stuffed her mouth. She had eaten about two-thirds of the meal when she slid the box over to Longstride. Lion Court had intended it for him after all. She waited for him to swallow a mouthful before speaking. "Do you mean that?" she asked.

For a moment, Longstride's stared at Rainbow as if she was still mocking him. Then he went back to staring at the fire. "Yes," he said softly.


	47. Why I Serve

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 47: Why I Serve**

It came as no surprise to Rarity that her friends all headed off in different directions after being instructed to rest. It's been a pattern ever since they came to the Barrier Lands, but it became truly noticeable when they returned here. Even Pinkie Pie, who tried to keep them as together as possible with her parties back in Bastion City, now had an agenda of her own. Just a moment ago, Pinkie just galloped past her with that glowing stone tablet.

'Perhaps I'm looking at this in an overly negative way," Rarity thought as she walked casually through Canterlot's streets. They had been asked to relax, but she decided to do so through a calming walk rather than bed rest as Applejack had done. The late afternoon scene throughout the streets of Canterlot had a…mixed atmosphere about it. Businesses were closing up for the day, their owners walking home in a slow, tired pace, while no-nonsense Legion and Royal Guard patrols trotted past them. There were a few nervous ponies gathered together whispering about a disturbance in the Royal Palace and how a lot of legionnaires had been heading there the past few hours.

Rarity looked up and noticed a streak of rainbow colors flitting about the spires of the city. 'What's she up to?' she thought. Her eyes narrowed as she waited for a streak of red to accompany that burst of colors. To her pleasant surprise, she didn't find one. 'Well, at least Scarlet Rabbit isn't with her.'

"What happened to you? You disappeared for a long time and we were all so worried!"

The excited question didn't exactly stand out among the various worried talks scattered across the streets. The residents of Canterlot worried a great deal for their newly drafted family and friends and fussed over them whenever they were reunited. When she caught a glimpse of the one who spoke, however, she stopped momentarily. She recognized this group of earth ponies: a purple stallion with a harp cutie mark, a brown one with a pair of musical notes for a cutie mark, and a light blue mare. The three had surrounded another mare, a gray one with purple eyes and a G-Clef cutie mark carrying a cello case on her back. Now, where had she seen these ponies before? Something about parties…

"Oh, you shouldn't have," the gray mare said with a smile. "I've just been busy with performances. You're the ones that should be worried about. How has your stay in the Legion been?"

The word "performances" proved enough to jog Rarity's memory. She had heard this quartet play several times before. Nostalgia suddenly flooded her within. How long has it been since she had the time to listen to some classical Equestrian music? Pinkie Pie's singing, her occasional humming to herself, and the rhythm of hammer blows against an anvil were all well and good, but to be seated in front of an opera…to hear a live orchestral performance from the Canterlot Symphony…those were sounds from another lifetime. She shook her head. No, that wasn't necessarily true. The time will come when she would get to hear that sort of music again. She didn't bother listening to the rest of their conversation and started to walk past the group. As she did so, she noticed the cello player glance her way.

Their eyes met only for a moment, but Rarity found herself rooted to the spot. The cello player recognized her. Not just that, the short glance was enough to leave her cold and uneasy. Something was wrong here.

"I'm just so amazed that you managed to get gigs with everything that's been happening," the light blue mare said. "I guess that goes to show what an amazing musician you are, Octavia!"

"Oh, nonsense, Beauty Brass, if you weren't strapped for Legion work, you'd be playing right next to me." Octavia looked to the two stallions. "All of us would be."

The warmth in Octavia's smile took Rarity aback. Was this the same mare who had glanced at her earlier? Perhaps she had just imagined the whole thing.

"Well, I'll see all of you again sometime," Octavia said. "You all look tired and I'm sure you have more training tomorrow."

"Stay safe, Octavia," Beauty Brass said. She wiped a tear from her eye. "You'll see, we'll be a quartet again soon."

The four embraced tenderly for a few moments, before Beauty Brass and the two stallions went on their way. Octavia stood their waving at them until they rounded a street corner. With her friends gone, she turned to face Rarity. "Hello, Miss Rarity," she said. Every trace of warmth she showed towards her friends dissipated like so much morning fog.

Rarity cleared her throat. Her unease only continued to grow, but she wasn't going to be the first to lose her poise in this conversation. "You recognize me," she said. "That's quite a surprise."

"You did become the talk of all of Canterlot once," Octavia said. "Lion Court also speaks very highly of you. I believe he once mentioned that you are the best among your peers."

"That's very flattering," Rarity replied, "but most untrue and likely said to praise himself." She raised her chin up a bit nevertheless. Praise from Lion Court may be under-hoofed, aimed to create rifts and self-serving, but it was still praise.

"Modest too," Octavia continued. She walked on and Rarity kept in step with her. "Lion Court may exaggerate, but there is some truth in what he says. You are easily the most elegant in your group." Her voice, already calm and cool, turned frigid. "It's a pity that you're a legionnaire."

Rarity's eyes narrowed. "And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"The Legion takes everything of grace and refinement and turns it into a hardened and crude tool. As a legionnaire, it won't be long until your fate is the same."

"Such a poor opinion of elegance you have, then. True beauty and refinement adapts and grows stronger with changing times. It is not 'turned crude' by anything. And speaking of turning, I see that you've turned into a Thorn. I would have never expected that one of Canterlot's own would join Black Rose's elite."

"And why not?" Octavia asked. "Did you expect every chosen in Equestria to bow their heads and meekly follow where the Legion leads them? Or that no chosen could possibly have the skills that a pony like Black Rose could use?"

"Well that depends now, doesn't it, Miss Octavia? What skills did Black Rose find a use for in your case?"

With a tilt of her head, Octavia turned her nose up. "My music, of course. The Legion may find no use for the musical arts, but Black Rose sees value in using and protecting them. And what of you, Miss Rarity? Has the Legion benefited greatly from your fabulous dress designs?"

"My time in the Legion has allowed me to learn a different set of skills," Rarity replied. "In return, I've committed to helping them fight Equestria's enemies, a cause I happen to have quite a stake in. I may have had some bad experiences with the Legion, Miss Octavia, but being underappreciated is not one of them." It was Rarity's turn to tilt her head slightly. "Of course, I'm sure that Black Rose has found many wonderful uses for your talents. When Pinkie Pie and some legionnaires were severely injured a while ago, they said they heard some music that left them weak and vulnerable to a Thorn's poison gas attack. They described it as coming from 'a bigger deeper violin'."

"It's called a cello. Though, I must admit that the Legion has vastly exceeded my expectations by even knowing what a violin is."

"Then I suggest that you open your eyes a little wider," Rarity said sharply. "The Legion is vast, the Barrier Lands even vaster. Reducing them all into a horde of barbarians out to destroy all that is beautiful does not speak well of your own refinement." Her eyes narrowed further. "Neither does aiding the poisoner who sent my friend to the hospital."

Octavia's cold glance did not change. "Sablesteel's attacks were measured, as were her poisons, my music, Lion Court's cuts, and Longstride's shots. You and your friends may not like being on the receiving end, but our precise movements guided by Black Rose's intellect serves Equestria well."

Rarity quickened her pace. Some sense of competitiveness was starting to take over this strange conversation. It suddenly wasn't enough to keep in pace with Octavia. She felt like leading. "That would be true," she said, "if Black Rose and Equestria were one and the same. You are being deceived, Miss Octavia, you'll find out too late that her goals have nothing to do with preserving the Heartland's culture and society as you apparently believe."

"Spoken like a true legionnaire. You're deceiving yourself, Miss Rarity. It's true that the Legion is here to stay and that they do have some use, but only when guided by a firm and refined hoof. The more I stay with Black Rose, the more I believe that it should be hers. She will see to it that the beauty of 'the Heartland', as you legionnaires keep calling it, remains intact, regardless of her other goals." Octavia stopped as they approached a street corner. "I believe this is where we part ways. I came by just to pay a short visit to my family. Afterwards, you and I have duties to attend to."

"Goodbye for now, then," Rarity replied. "We'll meet again, I'm sure. When we do, you'll see for yourself that elegance and strength are often one and the same."

Octavia didn't reply and slowly disappeared among the other ponies walking the street.

* * *

><p>Pinkie Pie galloped through Canterlot, barely aware of the swiftly changing scenery around her. One minute she was running through the Royal Palace's halls, then she was by its entrance, then she was zigzagging through ponies on the streets. The only constant sight was the channeling tablet clenched tightly between her teeth. She wasn't sure where it was leading her, but she knew it had to be towards one of the two ponies she had to find.<p>

After reading through some stuff about Rock Maven, Pinkie wanted to talk to Copper Mane. The stallion enjoyed launching into anecdotes about the first leader of the True Earth Ponies, as well as other great channelers. She didn't particularly enjoy them, especially when he lingered on how many unicorn and pegasi "oppressors" they killed. Pinkie had been worried that, since all the stories she heard about the Old Kingdom and the Six Companions were bad, Rock Maven was also going to turn out to be a monster. _"Perhaps one day, I can show you around the Deepstone Quarter of the Great Delve, Pinkie Pie. You can see for yourself the armaments of Rock Maven himself, still waiting for the day when a true earth pony would be strong enough to carry them to battle,"_ Copper Mane had said.

The truth was…well, it wasn't that it was the opposite. Rock Maven did lead his clan and the other enslaved earth pony clans to freedom. He did wear enormous stone plates that could block even magic for armor. He also did crush hundreds of unicorns and pegasi with a big stone club made from fossilized dragon bone.

The True Earth Ponies revered Rock Maven for real reasons. But, the archives had stories that Pinkie doubted that any of them had read since they were all out in the Barrier Lands. There was more to Rock Maven than the pony who had to be mean to help his friends and family. If she could just tell him about it, the two of them just might be able to come up with a better way to learn this channeling thing.

The other was Sablesteel. That wasp of a pony had a sting that hurt so badly that even the memory of them left Pinkie wincing. She was a horrible pony and Pinkie didn't need to read any book to know that. But there was-

"Pinkie! Pinkie!"

The blurry scenery finally slowed down when Pinkie heard those voices. She didn't spend a lot of time with her two sisters, certainly not as much as she hoped to, but they were hard workers who wanted to take part in the rock-farming business while her destiny took her to Ponyville. Still, she easily recognized the voices of Inkie and Blinkie Pie calling out to her from the other side of the street. In an instant, she was already standing between the two of them.

"Are you alright?" she asked. She looked her sisters over, even lifting them above her head to see if they were suffering from any horrible poisoned wounds. "Nothing bad has happened, has it? Where are mom and dad?"

"We're both fine, Pinkie," Inkie Pie said with a reassuring smile. She pushed back some of her long, straight, black mane from her eyes. "Mom and Dad are fine too. We were worried about you. We heard that something weird has happened to the Royal Palace."

"Yeah, there were these evil bony monsters, but the princess took care of that." Pinkie tilted her head inquisitively. "So what are you two doing out here? Were you headed for the Royal Palace to check on me?"

"Well, not really," Inkie replied. "I was just returning from a meeting with the Legion."

"The Legion?" Pinkie Pie's eyes widened. "The Legion? Why? Are they trying to get you to join the Legion? Because they're not allowed to, you know! I'm already in it!"

"No, silly, I'm not getting drafted," Inkie said with a giggle. "The Legion has a lot of construction projects lined up which means there's a huge demand for building stone. Dad and I have been working on a couple of big contracts." Inkie's smile widened. "I know you just asked us to come here for our safety, but I really think you did the farm a huge favor!" Her voice lowered to barely above a whisper and her smile faded. "I mean, that's okay, right?"

"Okay?" Pinkie asked. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"I mean, we're not bad for benefiting from the Legion's presence, are we? We don't like war or fighting, but business has been terrible for the past couple of years. Now, not only are we going to recover, we're going to start raking in the bits! I was just thinking that maybe it's not proper to have a reason to be happy when there are so many glum ponies around."

"Don't be silly!" Pinkie said. "Being sad's never helped the situation get better! You should be glad to be glad!" She looked towards her other sister. "What about Blinkie? Is she also working contracts?"

"No!" Blinkie Pie said. She raised her chin proudly. "Dad and Inkie can deal with boring business talk, I've been learning from some of the Legion engineers and masons." Her eyes widened in wonder. "They've got some amazing stone-working techniques that'll really blow your mind! I'm trying to get an apprenticeship. Dad says it's fine as long as I don't end up in the Barrier Lands."

Pinkie looked around. "You said you and dad were working on contracts," she said to Inkie. "So where's dad?"

"Oh, his front knees are bothering him again," Inkie said softly. "You know how they act up during winter."

Blinkie suddenly grabbed hold of Pinkie's shoulders and spun her around. "Wait! Never mind that! You never told us that the new prince was the prince of rocks!"

"New prince?" Pinkie raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Prince Terrato? He's not really new, he's as old as Princess Celestia! Well, she's his big sister, so probably not as old, but I'm sure it's close-!"

"We saw him fly by the other day!" Inkie said. She pressed her front hooves against her cheeks and closed her eyes. "His coat is such a magnificent shade of gray! Like finely polished granite!"

"And that chiseled jaw!" Blinkie added breathlessly. "A hundred master stone-crafters working together wouldn't even come close to duplicating it!"

"Those rock-hard muscles!"

"Those craggy eyebrows!"

"That stony glare!"

Pinkie watched silently while her sisters continued to swoon over the prince that she thought was easily the meanest of the royal siblings. It had only been days since Sablesteel threatened to kill them and melt their bodies with horrible poisons. Yet, here they were, completely untouched. Blue Moon may be right after all. Maybe Sablesteel had no intention of hurting any of her loved ones.

_"Hurting you…stains me."_

What did Sablesteel mean by that? Pinkie hadn't paid those words much attention until she got to talk with Blue Moon. When she was first laid out on that hospital bed, all she could imagine of Sablesteel was a monstrous insect-pony. After Blue Moon, she began to remember that alley fight a little more differently. All that anger suddenly wasn't aimed at her. All those strikes seemed slowed by hesitation. Sablesteel was trying to be mean, but she was trying too hard. That was what Blue Moon had been worried about. If they could only meet again…

"Pinkie, are you alright?" Inkie asked. "You're staring off."

"Oh! Uh…I'm okay!" Pinkie pulled out the slab again. The gems and the markings were still glowing. "The two of you stay safe alright?" she said. "I've got to go! Good luck with your work! And the prince!"

She galloped off again. Seeing her sister safe and happy only proved to her more that she needed to see Sablesteel. She ran past one fancy house after another until she began to notice a pattern. She was heading for the older sections of Canterlot. The bright colors looked more faded here, the paint was even peeling in some areas. The walls were cracked and the gates dilapidated. Finally, the slab brought her in front of, perhaps, the most ruined out of all the buildings in Equestria's capital.

Pinkie's gallop slowed to a cautious walked as she walked past the rusted metal bars the front gate. A cold wind began to pick up and fresh snow swirled around Pinkie. She shivered and trotted inside the mansion, where she hoped it would be warmer. She would have knocked, but the doors had long since collapsed on their sides and nopony clearly lived here.

The boards of the wooden floor creaked ominously as Pinkie walked over them. She treaded as lightly as she could for fear of suddenly falling through. It was a little warmer inside the mansion, although the sights weren't any better. The rooms were mostly empty save for a few pieces of broken furniture here and there. The windows frames were rotted and the panes had long since shattered. With night, and what appeared to be plenty of snowfall, closing in, the interior was shrouded in darkness. Only the lights coming from the slabs gems and markings let Pinkie Pie catch glimpses of anything.

"This is quite the dismal place you've found, Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie Pie yelped and jumped, nearly hitting the low ceiling with her head. The disembodied voice had come from behind her and she was so sure that it was going to be followed by a poisoned blade digging into her flesh. It was only when she was picking herself off the floor and looking at the silver-shoed hooves of the pony who spoke did she recognize the voice. "Princess Luna!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? And how did you sneak up on me like that?"

"I had guessed that you may be looking for Sablesteel," Princess Luna said with a smile. "I followed discreetly as to not disturb you. As for sneaking, Illusion and Enchantment are also my domains, Pinkie Pie. Becoming invisible is a simple enough task." Her voice lowered as her eyebrows met. "Masking my presence from your strange channeling proved a more difficult task though…"

"So why are you looking for Sablesteel?" Pinkie's eyes widened. "Are you going to kill her?" She fell on her belly and grabbed hold of Luna's hooves. "Please don't kill her!"

"You are surprisingly protective of the enemy agent who poisoned you and threatened to kill your family," Luna replied. "But you needn't worry. I have not come here to hurt or kill anypony."

"Oh, good," Pinkie said with a sigh of relief.

"Shall we see where those stairs lead?" Luna asked. She pointed to a narrow flight of wooden stairs that led downwards. The steps were cracked, but they looked sturdy enough. Pinkie consulted her slab and nodded. The stairs ended with a single door, surprisingly still intact. Luna blocked Pinkie with a hoof just as she was about to turn the knob. "Be careful, Pinkie Pie, the door is old, but its placement here is recent."

It was only when Luna had raised a shield around them did they push the door together. They found themselves looking at a great basement library, easily big enough to occupy the mansion's entire lowest floor. This time, the glow from Pinkie's tablet was not the only illumination. There were lamps hung all over the room, giving the entire place a dim, flickering orange glow. The most of the shelves had fallen over, broken into pieces or rotted away. There were pages scattered across the ground, the writing impossible to read because of fading, stains or the paper simply too badly faded.

"I'm busy, Longstride!"

There was no mistaking the sound of that voice. It sounded a little different to Pinkie, but that was likely because there was no mask to distort it. She had found the pony she was searching for.

"How in the moon princess's star-spangled-? Nevermind! I'll get the information to them! Just don't mess things up any further, Longstride! And don't try anything stupid while you're up there!"

Pinkie glanced towards Luna, just in time to notice the princess's eyebrow twitch. The two of them pressed on without saying anything, however.

At the center of it all, they found the pony they had been searching for. A lone mare sat on top of a pile of ruined books, quietly staring at a small fire. Sablesteel had most of her gear on, save for the mask. Pinkie Pie felt a little glad for that, it was so much easier to see the Thorn as a pony. Her wavy gray mane, the tips curling just a bit, fell loosely across her shoulders and face. Sablesteel didn't look up when the two of them approached. "I didn't think you were so stupid as to seek me out twice, Pinkie Pie, especially after how our last meeting ended," she said. "I see you brought back up. Are you here to attack me again, moon princess? All the extra-dimensional portals in Canterot have been shut down."

"We agreed to the cease hostilities until Gravitas has been dealt with," Luna replied. "I will not be the first to start breaking agreements. Your friend, Lion Court, just rented a room in one of Canterlot's best hotels, Sablesteel. Yet here you are camping out in a ruin."

"I like the old forgotten places," Sablesteel said. "Reminds me of home." She looked up from the fire and towards Pinkie. "Just so you know, Rainbow Dash got herself trapped by a blizzard near Mount Unicornia's summit with Longstride. She'll rejoin you once the weather clears."

"Uh…okay," Pinkie said. Luna looked at her and stepped aside, letting the conversation be between her and Sablesteel.

Sablesteel tossed a book into the flames. "The both of you can go now," she said. "We're done here."

"Wait." Pinkie Pie tried stepping closer and quickly found that even that was proving difficult. There was some kind of invisible barrier around Sablesteel: a boundary which created by how far she could reach. It wasn't magic or some kind of device, it was knowledge and fear. Pinkie felt that if she crossed that boundary, she would be quickly met by poisoned blades. She didn't want another stay in the hospital, but she also didn't want to just walk away because Sablesteel was so prickly.

"What is it?" Sablesteel asked. Irritation already colored her words. "You should be resting."

"I want to ask you some things," Pinkie replied. "If you answer without making threats, or insulting somepony, or swearing, or throwing poison gas bombs, or slicing things up, then…then I'll leave, and rest up, and never try to look for you again!"

Sablesteel stared at Pinkie Pie silently, her forelegs tapping together and her tail just flicking behind her. The stinger clinked against the floor as the seconds passed. "That's…a decent offer, Pinkie Pie. I was expecting something dumber like offering a platter of cupcakes to get answers."

Pinkie swallowed. "Well, that was kind of my back- never mind, you agree right? It's a promise?"

"You never said I can't answer with silence," Sablesteel said. "Ask your questions. Regardless of my reply, go away."

"What do you really want, Sablesteel?"

"I thought I've explained myself clearly the last time."

"No, you told me what Black Rose wanted, and what was good for Equestria. What about you? Pinkie nearly gasped when an emotion besides annoyance showed on Sablesteel's face. For a few seconds, those blue and green eyes showed what she had believed, had hoped, to see: some sign that there was something more to Black Rose's ruthless agent.

"What I want…" Sablesteel stopped, as if savoring the words and the concept behind them. "Pinkie Pie…why would you ask that? Are you going to give me what I want? Is the Element of Joy here to make me happy?"

"No fair," Pinkie Pie said. "I asked first."

Sablesteel didn't say anything again. Pinkie's ears began to droop at this.

"It involves the Blackmoon Blades, doesn't it?" Luna asked.

The irritation was back in both Sablesteel's eyes and voice. "You shut your horse-!" She looked at Pinkie Pie and settled down with a long exhale. "Is that why you're here, moon princess?" she asked.

"You wouldn't say anything so I made a guess," Luna said. "I took some time to find out more since our last encounter, Sablesteel. My brother may say otherwise, but you are the last Blackmoon Blade, the sole heiress to a very long tradition of subterfuge, poisoncraft and assassination. It doesn't take much to guess that these mean a lot to you."

"You're half right, at least," Sablesteel said flatly. "First, the prince is right; I am not the last Blackmoon Blade. That title belongs to my grandfather, Ice Carver. It is true that I inherited all their important traditions."

"Then why make such a distinction?" Luna asked. "Your grandfather must have brought you into the group if he taught you everything. Why would he stop at actually making you a blade?"

"You don't understand," Sablesteel said. "He wasn't blind to their faults. The Blackmoon Blades were deluded fanatics. They believed that they did your will. That every slaying they ever performed was done in the name of Princess Luna, their 'Great Watcher in the Night', 'Blessed Lady of Dreams', and 'Silver Beacon'." Sablesteel let out a brief, cheerless laugh. Her lips remained grim and straight, however. "They had no idea what your will was. How could they? All they had were things that the first few grand masters of the Starlight Sentinels had written down about what you were like. So they invented things as the years rolled on. They invented their own Princess Luna and made up things about her that 'seemed' fitting." Sablesteel let herself smile a little as she went on. "They argued over some of the stupidest things like if it would please Princess Luna more if they sliced off the tongues of ponies who took her name in vain or if they should stick to the more general warning of ear-less corpses for any offender no matter the crime. Grandfather didn't want any part of _that_ to be inherited." The smile disappeared as Sablesteel tossed a sheaf of papers into the fire. "I was to be pure. I was to have in me everything that was good in the Blackmoon Blades: their dedicated discipline, their brutal and effective training, their accumulated knowledge on the arts of killing. He didn't want a single drop of their worthless, deluded, self-serving dogma to taint me. That is why it is so important that I am _not_ the last Blackmoon Blade."

Sablesteel turned towards Pinkie Pie. "What do _I_ want, you ask me? I want the purpose and conviction that the Blackmoon Blades thought they had. I want to be part of a truly worthy cause that I believe with all my heart, led by a pony with true vision and dedication." Sablesteel's face soured and her tone grew harsher. "The moon princess failed. She ran to the Heartland and failed us all. The sun princess was an even bigger failure and the earth prince would not budge. After grandfather died, I tried to put my skills to work in the Legion. I grew so restless and frustrated that I wanted to get myself killed." All the anger seemed to just evaporate from Sablesteel. "But I met Black Rose…Black Rose, the greatest daughter Equestria has ever had and will ever have. She had the purpose and dedication. She had the vision, the will, the ruthlessness: everything that the Blackmoon Blades so dearly wished to have been part of. I was at peace. The Thorns were my Blackmoon Blades and Black Rose was my princess."

"Then…" Pinkie Pie spoke so softly that it sounded more as if there was a mouse in the library. "Then…you're happy now, right?" she asked.

"NO!"

Sablesteel's shout was enough to shake some dust from the beams above them. Sheets of paper flew from her as she stood up. Pinkie fell on her belly on instinct and covered her face with her front hooves.

"Why not?" Luna asked. "Has Black Rose failed you as well?"

"Black Rose does not fail. Has she not drilled that into your skulls yet? Her plans are reaching their completion. Her life will end with them and the last thing I get to do in her service is to bully a pink party pony into becoming strong enough to be useful to her. After that, everything good and worthy that grandfather has sought to preserve will disappear with me." Sablesteel settled down once more. "It's not…enough." She turned her back on the two of them. "We're done here. Leave."

Her eyes quivering, Pinkie found it much easier to take a step forward now. "Sablesteel, I…uh, I know you're not glad to have me as your 'assignment'. But I promise, I will be a strong enough Element of Joy."

Pinkie heard the very distinct sound of metal sliding against metal. She caught sight of the glint that could only come from blades extending from Sablesteel's forelegs. "I don't need your pity, Pinkie Pie," came a low growl.

"It's not pity!" Pinkie Pie said. She didn't squeak this time. "You'll see! You don't need to bully or frighten me into becoming stronger. I will be a good enough Element of Harmony. I will protect Equestria. And I'm sure that your grandpa will be proud of you for helping so much."

Sablesteel didn't turn around. "You talk a good game, Pinkie Pie," she said. Her voice was much softer as she did so. "I'll be watching. With blades drawn, mind you."

"Come along, Pinkie Pie," Luna said. "I'll teleport us back to the palace so you can rest up."

Pinkie Pie nodded and waited for the teleportation spell to take her away.


	48. An Easy Feat

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 48: An Easy Feat**

Fluttershy was among the first the head out the door when Princess Celestia told her and her friends that they were to rest. Now that the attack was over, she could go back to the hidden archives and finish that book. She had to. There had to be some kind of upside to "The Eye of Fear". Maybe the terror it induced was just one function. She wasn't even sure that what she was the Eye of Fear. It could be something else. So experiments were done long ago that produced something that resembled the stare. That didn't mean that there weren't other potential sources. She just needed to check the end of that book.

It only took a couple of steps outside of the audience hall for Fluttershy to notice them: ponies carrying away loaded stretchers, bloody bandages everywhere, legs in slings, and the steady drone of moans mixing with orders being barked. She could hear Redbrand. She didn't see him and he was probably a few corridors away, but she could hear him making assignments and scolding his subordinates.

_"There will always be more injured. They will be there when you leave and they will still be there when you return."_

Fluttershy's urgent trot slowed to a hesitant walk. As much as she hated to admit it, Blue Moon was right. The stream of injuries was never going to stop. Even if she used miles and miles of bandages and a sea of antiseptic, there's always going to be another pony with a broken limb, a nasty gash or a gaping wound. If she failed to find a way to help her friends more, she'd never forgive herself.

She cringed as another pair of stretcher-carrying pegasi flew past her. With each step she took within these halls, it was getting harder and harder not to drop everything and start helping out. 'Why should I even have to choose?' she thought. 'It's not fair! Why should helping others ever be the wrong thing to do?'More and more sights of the injured and the dead tugged at her heart until she couldn't take it anymore. "Here, let me help!" she said as she trotted over to one of the medics treating a badly cut legionnaire. 'Just for a while,' she thought. 'I'm sure there's nothing wrong with a little first aid for a while.'

Four injured ponies later, Fluttershy heard the voice that she had been dreading.

"Fluttershy! What in the hay are you doing back here?" Redbrand pushed past a couple of medics until he was standing over the pegasus. Both Fluttershy and the patient she was taking care of blanched at his glare. "Blue Moon's told me some things, you stubborn filly. You've got other things to take care of, so put those bandages down and get out of the my staff's way!"

"But-! But-!" Try as she might, Fluttershy couldn't finish the sentence. She had her arguments rehearsed in her head when she started helping out, but her tongue refused to follow with Redbrand glowering over her.

"Drop the bandages," Redbrand growled.

Defeated, Fluttershy let the roll drop. She was about walk away when she felt a twinge of resentment. She looked to Redbrand with a frown. "How can I just walk away from this?" she asked.

"One hoof after the other," Redbrand replied. He picked up the fallen roll and placed it in one of his saddlebags.

The dismissive tone stung Fluttershy. "Easy for you to say!" she said.

"No, you arrogant filly," Redbrand said. "It's not." He held her gaze sternly. Fluttershy remembered the Eye of Fear and tried to look away, but she felt that doing so would be a terrible insult to the stallion. "There isn't a medic here who doesn't wish he can make all the hurt go away. Don't think you're something special for wanting that. But we know our parts in this; we know what we can do. You don't, Element of Kindness, you're meant for more. So stop wasting your time."

"Stop!" Fluttershy started to sob. "Don't call me 'Element of Kindness'!"

"And what's this blubbering about this time?" Redbrand asked. His voice softened however, and he didn't turn away when Fluttershy leaned on him, tears trickling down her cheeks. He looked over to some of the medics who were now staring and glared them back to work.

"It's the Eye of Fear!" Fluttershy said between sobs. She told the whole story: Private Pansy's true nature, the Graywing Elite garbling it horribly with sobs, sniffs, and hiccups By the time she reached the end of it, however, she could feel the doctor pushing her away with his forelegs.

"Well, isn't that tragic," Redbrand said.

Fluttershy looked up in shock. There was no grudging empathy under the old stallion's gruff tone. Not this time.

"Your stare induces terror within its victims, Fluttershy! Where did you expect it to have come from? Some land of chocolates and honey?"

Fluttershy could only continue to stare. The tears stopped flowing, not out of any relief because surprise simply overwhelmed everything else.

"I don't feel sad for you at all, wallflower. So you found out you've got bad parts in you too, that even bearing the Element of Kindness doesn't make you the King's gift to all living things. Well, too bad, Fluttershy, you have to do what you can with what you have just like the rest of us lowly mortals!"

Fluttershy's ears flattened as she tried to move her legs to back down. They refused. Instead, resentment, like a flood of bile, started to rise from within. How dare he? Here she was trying to seek some comfort and he goes off as if he had any idea what-!

"So stand up straight," Redbrand said. "And stop crying! So what if your evil eyeballing actually was evil? They're still your weepy eyes, not that idiot volunteer's!" He gave her a shake before letting go. "Stop fussing about where it came from and start figuring out where you can take it!"

The resentment resided a bit. Fluttershy swallowed hard, as if a physical action could get it to back down completely. "You're right," Fluttershy finally said. She straightened herself out, wiped away the last tears still clinging to her cheeks and took a step forward. She smiled at the old stallion. "Thank you. Again."

"Bah!" Redbrand turned away and walked towards a pair of medics.

Fluttershy watched the stallion for a while and then galloped off. Some of the panic she felt just moments ago had subsided with the resentment. She ran past more injured, but they tugged at her heart less. This time, she was able to focus more on the ponies helping out. The Legion's medics were handling the attack well, and Canterlot's doctors and nurses were also among them. They had this under control.

As she approached the palace's main doors, however, the sight of a familiar, light blue unicorn slowed her down and brought her to a stop just a few feet away.

Blue Moon remained a disconcerting sight. It wasn't just his very feminine appearance. She had seen the other Thorns: Sablesteel, darting into the fray with blades and a stinger like a large, metal wasp, Lion Court, all grace and smiles even as he cut down his foes. Both had an aura of menace around them. Not even the widest grin and pearliest teeth could hide the predatory nature of Lion Court's smile and it was plain enough to see that even approaching Sablesteel was dangerous. Blue Moon looked like a normal, approachable mare.

There was something different about Blue Moon this time though. Fluttershy noticed that the band of metal around his horn was gone. His two escorts didn't seem to mind either. "Your horn-lock…" she said.

"My escorts and I were walking around the palace when the attack happened," Blue Moon said. "We were cornered by the creatures and I told them I could help keep us alive if I could use my magic."

One of the escorts scratched his head. "Did more than keep us alive," he muttered. "They say he killed a hundred ursans at Sharpstone Bridge. I think they were understating. A lot."

"And you've earned the Legion's trust," Fluttershy said with a slight smile. "That's nice to hear."

"Trust would indeed be 'nice'," Blue Moon replied. He lowered his voice. "Or they could just be too afraid to try and put the horn-lock back on without one of the royalty around. What about you, Fluttershy? What have you learned?"

"Not much," Fluttershy replied. She repeated her story again, this time without the wracking sobs.

Blue Moon's eyes narrowed. "Lok'horus," he said. "That, my sister has read before. Lok'horus, one of the leaders of the windigos. This is more serious than we anticipated." He circled Fluttershy slowly; his head tilted a bit while he observed her. "Why would the Element of Kindness choose a bearer with so much potential for torment?"

"I-I don't know…" Fluttershy felt her throat tighten again. Even hearing that she had that potential hurt. It would have even if she knew it was a lie, knowing that it was true hurt even more. She forced her smile to stay. "But, I'm sure I'll find out more once I get back to the hidden archives!"

"No," Blue Moon said. "You've found the link between your stare and the windigos. More history isn't what you need. You need a way to harness it, and I doubt Lexarius and his ponies took the time to discover that."

"What can I do then?" Fluttershy asked. She tried to mask the disappointment in her voice and failed miserably. She had hoped that books would be enough. Even reading about the horrible origins of her stare was bad enough, yet Blue Moon looked like he was about to suggest even worse things.

Blue Moon's horn began to take on a pale glow. At once, his two escorts looked ready to jump him. "Stand down," Blue Moon said. "I could have killed all of you the moment you took off my horn-lock. I could have disappeared and wreaked havoc in Canterlot afterwards if that was what I was here for. If you can stop jumping at my every spell, I'll be able to help the Elements of Harmony."

Blue Moon's escorts looked at each other briefly before one of them spoke to him. "We're supposed to be guarding you, Blue Moon. We haven't insisted on making you put your horn-lock on, but throw us a bone here and explain before cast any spells."

"I already know that Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor and Captain Vanguard Clash discovered the location of a trapped alicorn in Mount Unicornia," Blue Moon said. "I also know that this trapped alicorn once served Oceanus and that the royalty managed to converse with it. Fluttershy and I are about to do the same."

"How did you-? Even we didn't know all that!"

"A horn-lock and escorts would not have stopped my sister from discovering everything possible in Canterlot," Blue Moon replied. "As Legionnaire Almost, I am, at least, able to do this much." He finished the spell and several thin beams of blue light burst from his horn. The beams stopped in mid-air, leaving points of light where they stopped. For a while, it looked like Blue Moon was projecting the image of some kind of constellation. A moment passed and those points began to expand into a network of lines, forming an outline that quickly resembled something familiar.

"Canterlot," Fluttershy whispered. She glanced at Blue Moon briefly. "Amazing."

The other legionnaires were also clearly impressed given their wide, staring eyes. After a minute, Blue Moon's horn was projecting a very detailed, small-scale picture of the entire city of Canterlot and Mount Unicornia. Fluttershy could even see individual doors and windows. What drew her attention however was the large sphere of light close to the center of the mountain. Blue Moon pointed towards it with a foreleg. "That would be where we are going," he said.

One of the escort's eyes narrowed as he looked at the image closely. "Those points of light," he said. "Those were places you asked to visit!"

"Referential points," Blue Moon said. "I'll explain detail for you later, if you want. However, we have a limited amount of time to help the Element of Kindness before she heads for the Old Kingdom. Now, will you allow me to teleport her to that place?"

The other escorts looked to the one who spoke earlier.

"We'd be cut up corpses by now if it weren't for you, Blue Moon. I don't trust you completely, but I'll stick my neck out for you just to return the favor, especially if it means helping out the Elements of Harmony."

The other escorts nodded.

"Thank you," Blue Moon said. His horn glowed again, and the magical projection disappeared. "Initiating teleportation circle." A circle of magical light formed on the floor they were standing on. Fluttershy nearly flew away at the sight of it. Blue Moon placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Steady," he said. "I'm just moving us as close as possible. There's a dimensional lock around the place itself so we'll have to walk the rest of the way."

Fluttershy was about to say something in return, but the bright flash of light left her stunned and silent. When her vision cleared, she was inside a cave. Glowing crystals lined the walls, the ground beneath her hooves felt uneven and coarse. She turned towards Blue Moon to ask him something. Before she could even open her mouth, a sharp pain in her chest brought her up short.

"Fluttershy!" Blue Moon said. He walked over to her, his stoic expression finally showing some worry.

"I'm okay," Fluttershy said. Her legs shook, but she forced herself to remain standing. "I-!" She stumbled as the pain increased. It was as if her heart was violently forcing her to move towards a certain direction.

"What's going on?" one of the escorts asked. "Is she alright?"

"I-I'll be fine!" Fluttershy said through grit teeth. She quickly noticed that the pain lessened when she started moving towards the direction she felt she was being tugged towards. "We need to go this way!"

Blue Moon merely nodded towards his escorts and trotted next to her, ready to help if it became necessary. Fluttershy wanted to lean against him, even let him carry her so she could concentrate on dealing with the sharp pain. She refused. Redbrand's scolding still rang inside her head. She didn't want to keep leaning on ponies helplessly while they did their parts. She had to do hers despite the difficulties. They moved through one tunnel after another with her at the lead.

"Halt!"

Fluttershy looked up. Stopping proved exceptionally torturous. Her front legs buckled and she breathed quickly and heavily. Ahead of her were several squads of legionnaires. The unicorns were already on the verge of casting spells, the pegasi were aiming their crossbows and the earth ponies looked ready to charge.

"This place is off limits!" one the guards said. "What are you all doing here?"

"Princess's orders," one of Blue Moon's escorts said. Fluttershy could barely hold back her surprise. Even Blue Moon's eyes widened a bit at this.

"Which princess? And why weren't we informed in advance?" the lead guard asked.

"Princess Celestia. This is a last-minute matter to help the Element of Kindness! You do recognize the bearers, don't you?"

The lead guard scrutinized Fluttershy carefully. "Yes, we were given descriptions." He shifted his gaze towards Blue Moon. "We were also given descriptions of him. Why should we allow a captured Thorn in here?"

"_Princess's orders_," the escort repeated.

"Wait here while we send a flyer to confirm then," the guard insisted.

"There is no time! The Element of Kindness is supposed to be resting for their upcoming mission! Look at her! She looks ready to fall apart! We need to get through this now!"

The guards continued to hesitate. Eventually, their leader went over to Fluttershy. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"Yes," Fluttershy replied. They parted to let her through after that. They continued to eye Blue Moon suspiciously however, until they disappeared from sight.

"I'm surprised," Blue Moon said to his escorts with the coast clear. "You went through a great deal of trouble for us, and you will go through a lot more if it gets out that you lied."

"I know," the escort said. "We're square after this, Thorn, and we didn't do it just for you. It really does look like the Element of Kindness needs this trip."

"You have my thanks regardless," Blue Moon said.

"Don't start getting friendly, you freakishly beautiful stallion."

They crossed one more tunnel before coming upon a giant chamber, the only place in the mountain that had stonework instead of natural cavern walls. Now that they were here, Fluttershy felt the painful tugging disappear. She looked around and gasped at the sight of the enormous spherical crystal.

"That must be the alicorn prison," Blue Moon said quietly.

"How do you know that?" one of the escorts said.

"Can't you see the outline inside that crystal? This must be one of Oceanus's own. Princess Celestia struck down the one working for General Gravitas and I doubt the royalty would imprison allies."

"**_You could ask me instead, mortal,"_** a voice said. It came from the crystal and resonated across the chamber with enough power to send Fluttershy quaking. **_"I wouldn't mind answering. Of course, I have questions too. I may not be able to see beyond this cage, but I still remember the unique stink of Oceanus's servants. Tell me, Lok'horus, how have you survived for so long and what do you want from me?"_**

Fluttershy winced at the mention of that name.

"It would seem only natural that one servant of Oceanus would recognize another," Blue Moon said.

**_"You're half right. I once served the firstborn so I can tell when his enforcers are around. The Equos de Abysso have never been known for their subtlety, especially their old captain."_**

"I am Blue Moon. Despite what you may smell, this is not Lok'horus I am standing with. This is Fluttershy, bearer of the Element of Kindness. May we know who you are?"

The voice took on an amused tone. **_"Ah…names. A long, long time ago, I was Stella Volu. By the time the First Rebellion came to be, I was Regia Carnifex. When I left the firstborn's service, I became Star Swirl. Pick the name that means something to you, Blue Moon. But you are certainly the brazen one. It's not enough that you try to convince me that you are not standing next to an ancient spirit made manifest by Oceanus's power of the abyss. No, this one is actually a bearer of an Element of Harmony, a mortal vessel for one of the throne's greatest blessings."_**

"I had no intention of being brazen," Blue Moon said. "Only of being honest."

**_"We shall see. Speak, 'Fluttershy', is it true that you bear the Element of Kindness?"_**

"Um…um…yes, sir, Star Swirl, sir. May I call you Star Swirl? I mean, Stella Volu and Regia Carnifex all sound nice, but I don't know what they mean…and, well…"

Fluttershy's voice trailed away, leaving the entire chamber silent.

**_"If you're Lok'horus, you've certainly put a lot of effort into your 'shy little filly' act. You didn't hide your stink though. Prove that you bear an Element of Harmony. Speak the words and bring judgment upon yourself."_**

"T-the words?"

There was silence again. Disbelief crept into Star Swirl's voice. **_"Has nopony taught you the words?"_**

Fluttershy lowered her head. She didn't know what Star Swirl was talking about, but she still felt ashamed for not knowing what he thought she should know. "No," she said.

**_"Then speak them with me."_**

"Hold on!" Blue Moon said. "How can we make sure that this isn't a trick? Who knows what will happen if the Element of Kindness were to recite an incantation taught to her by a former servant of Oceanus?"

**_"Then speak them yourself first, Blue Moon, be 'her' poison tester. Porta cordis mei, aperi. Lumen ab throno, emica. Sto parata facie tua. Sit gaudii aut irae igniis."_**

Blue Moon frowned, and looked towards Fluttershy. He hesitated for a moment longer before repeating the words. He paused several times, during which Star Swirl repeated the next words. Fluttershy braced herself for a spectacular show of magic: bright arcs of light, gathering clouds of darkness, something similar to their fight with Nightmare Moon.

Nothing happened.

**_"The words do not reach where they should go coming from you, Blue Moon. While all mortals ultimately make their way to the Eternal Herd, they do not possess a strong enough connection to make contact while they still reside in this realm. Now, if you were an alicorn, or one of the Elements of Harmony, they would cause something."_**

"What do those words mean?" Blue Moon asked.

**_"Gate of my heart, open. Light from the throne, shine forth. I stand ready for your presence. Be it the fire of wrath or joy. You've noticed that I've spoken the words with nothing happening. Are you ready to give it a try, Element of Kindness?"_**

"W-what's going to happen if I say those words?" Fluttershy asked.

**_"If you are not the Element of Kindness, then nothing. If you are Lok'horus, still nothing. If you are the Element of Kindness, however, then you will invoke a…presence. What that presence is will be determined by how attuned you are to your element."_**

"I…I don't know," Fluttershy said. "It just seems…so scary."

**_"Then we have nothing else to discuss."_**

Fluttershy stared at the enormous crystal. Star Swirl did sound like he could help her. From the way he spoke, it was as if he knew this Lok'horus personally. She didn't want to lose such an important opportunity. 'My part to play,' she thought. She began to recite the words. She stumbled over some of them, sometimes badly enough for Star Swirl to prompt her, but she remembered enough to get it right.

"Porta cordis mei, aperi. Lumen ab throno, emica. Sto parata facie tua. Sit gaudii aut irae igniis."

The effect was easily telling. Fluttershy felt an incredibly wonderful warmth effusing her from within. She let out a little gasp and then looked at Blue Moon and his escorts in embarrassment. A soft glow emanated from her chest, where her heart would be.

"Interesting, Element of Kindness indeed."

The wonderful feeling began to fade. The warmth was steadily increasing, much to Fluttershy's panic. A few more seconds passed and it was now a very uncomfortable heat. "What's…what's going-!" Fluttershy cried out. In an instant, it felt as if a thousand red-hot pokers were stabbing her in the chest. Her guts felt as if she had been forced to drink molten lava. She fell to the ground, clutching at her chest and writhing in agony.

"What's happening?" Blue Moon asked. His escorts were now also calling out to Star Swirl in alarm.

**_"This is a bad sign."_**

Fluttershy let out a long, agonized wail. Her insides felt as if they were boiling. A burning, stinging liquid was rising from her stomach to her throat.

**_"And so our true colors emerge, Element of Kindness."_**

A great gob of slime burst from Fluttershy's mouth, splattering all over the floor in front of her. The heat inside her started to subside and she opened her eyes weakly to see what had happened.

"By the prince, what is that horrible stench?" one of the escorts asked.

**_"What you have before you is a physical manifestation of some truly dark things one puts away inside. The words have provided their diagnosis for the Element of Kindness's state."_**

In front of Fluttershy was a puddle of black, still-steaming, ooze. The smell was a ferocious assault that left her eyes even more watery and her stomach on the verge of another protest. She was reminded of buckets upon buckets of dead fish, rotting for days, mixed with salt spray, garbage and piles of manure. She wanted to say something, ask a question, anything, but her vision began to darken and the floor started to rise.

* * *

><p>Blue Moon caught Fluttershy with his magic as soon as she started to collapse. He continued to stare at the disgusting black puddle she had vomited up even as he gently lifted her away from the mess. "What happened?" he whispered. He looked to the massive crystal desperately. "Tell me what happened."<p>

**_"The worst has happened, Blue Moon. But that could mean that things are finally going to get better. Your rulers are about to fight Gravitas. I do not know what the outcome of that battle will be, but I fear that Oceanus may have already won regardless. For now, let her rest. She should recover physically in a few hours."_**

Blue Moon nodded towards his escorts and the group began to make their way back.


	49. Hidden Depths

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 49: Hidden Depths**

_Fluttershy smiled as she crossed past the trees that lined the grassy path to her house. It was great to be back home. Her sod-roofed cottage waited for her at the end of the small bridge just as it always did. "Angel!" she called out. "Angel, I'm home!" The lack of response alone didn't surprise her. Angel wasn't the sort who made a lot of noise over anything. The complete silence, however, disturbed her greatly. Though she didn't like the hustle and bustle of a busy city, she enjoyed the coalescing sounds of the small community of woodland animals that shared her home. Right now, not even a twitter or a squeak greeted her._

_A cool spring breeze picked up, rustling through the leaves of nearby trees and gently making their branches sway. Fluttershy had just raised her head slightly to enjoy it when the smell of stagnant saltwater and rotting fish nearly knocked her to the ground. Mixing with that foul odor was the smell of smoke and ashes. She retched and spat a few times. The smell was so powerful and offensive that it felt as if some of it had clung to her tongue. She forced herself to stand when she realized that it was coming from her house._

_'Oh no! No!'_

_She galloped past the small bridge, fighting against the stench as if it was a physical wall pushing her back. She fumbled with the doorknob for a moment before kicking the door down impatiently. The smell of decay and the lack of any response from her animal friends painted a very grim picture in her mind already, a picture she desperately didn't want to see inside her house. She took a step forward and slipped, falling side-first into the slick, moist floor She gagged and felt her stomach heave. Only after she blinked away the tears formed by the stinging smell did she notice what she had fallen on._

_The floor of Fluttershy's house was covered in thick, black slime. It was this stuff that smelled so horrible. She lifted a front hoof closer to her face and watched with a shudder as the slime ran down her hoof and dribbled back to the floor in thick gobs. . The slime was on her mane as well, making the long pink strands cling to each other. She looked around and saw that all the furniture and bird cages had disappeared. The walls were blackened with scorch marks and the floor…_

_Nearly the entire floor of the house was gone, leaving only a few feet of wood around the edges of a gigantic hole. She looked down to see where it ended but only darkness greeted her. The walls around the hole were covered in the same black slime. Wisps of smoke rose from the hole and she could still feel some heat coming from it. Fluttershy wanted to fly out of the house, to go outside and search for her friends. Yet…the hole seemed to beckon her. There was something important down there. Something she needed to see. Perhaps, all the animals in the house had fallen down there. She flapped her wings and began to steadily descend the hole. She sniffed the air curiously. Oddly enough, almost as soon as she made that decision, the smell became less oppressive._

_The descent proved far longer than Fluttershy expected. The light from the entrance had disappeared and she was still going down. She was now hoping that her animal friends had not fallen down this hole. The height would have surely killed them if they did. A few more minutes passed, leaving her unsure as to whether she was still going down, just hovering in mid-air of she was somehow turned around and was already ascending. Finally, she felt her hooves touch the ground with a soft crunch of pebbles. "H-hello?" she called out._

_"Hello…hello…hello…"_

_Fluttershy sighed at the sound of her echo. It was a relief to know that none of her animal friends were stuck down this deep, dark hole. But it was also a disappointment._

_**"Hello."**_

_Fluttershy froze. That was her voice she heard, but the delay was too long and the tone was too different to be an echo. It also sounded quite close. She took a step forward only to have her front hooves catch on something hard and cold. She heard the distinct ping of metal as she righted herself. "W-w-ho's down here?" she called out. She suddenly forgot why she decided to fly down this deep, very dark hole._

_**"Who's down here?"**_

_"I-I know you're not an echo!" Fluttershy called out. "Who are you?"_

_Whoever or whatever it was that shared this hole with Fluttershy didn't answer with words this time. She heard something that sounded like a very large match being struck. A small flame appeared at a distance. It looked to be the size of a typical torch. Several more followed, quickly forming an enormous circle around her. The size of it was easily four or five times the size of her cottage. She had no idea there was such an enormous space underneath the house._

_A central flame burst into being at the center, directly above her._

_The light hurt at first, forcing Fluttershy to wince and squint. She looked down just to avoid looking at the lights directly. She was right she had trod on something metallic. It was a length of chain. The thing looked big enough to anchor an airship. She followed it with her eyes and saw that several more chains of the same size joined it from different directions. They were all converging on…_

_…on her._

_Fluttershy gasped at the sight. A yellow pegasus with a long, flowing pink mane sat several feet away. Even the cutie mark was spot on. The chains all around them were attached to a great, metal collar that weighed this pegasus's neck down, forcing her to look up at Fluttershy from the ground. Her fore and hind legs were shackled together. Another band of metal wrapped her torso. This one also had chains extending from the darkness attached to it. "H-how…" she mumbled._

_**"That filthy Star Swirl bastard lied,"**__ the other pegasus snarled. "He said the words would help. All they did was call out that light!" She tried to look up, straining violently against the very heavy collar just to lift her head an inch. __**"That wretched light burned right through the ceiling! It took so long to put that ceiling up!"**_

_"Um…h-hello?" Fluttershy said. Despite her trembling hooves, she took a step towards her cursing reflection._

_**"Sorry."**__ The other pegasus, the other Fluttershy, as Fluttershy decided to see her, sighed and lowered her head. __**"Didn't mean to be seen like this. The words were supposed to help! Thought they burn this place out completely, not…expose it."**_

_"Why are you chained up like this?" Fluttershy asked._

_**"Protection."**_

_"And all the animals in the house?"_

_The other Fluttershy scowled. __**"The ungrateful little shits ran when they caught a whiff of this place. Just like those wretches in the Royal Garden."**__ The scowl lessened and the snarling tone softened to a reassuring one.__**"Don't worry,"**__ she said. __**"They'll come crawling back when they remember that they can't feed themselves!"**_

_"That's a mean thing to say about them!" Fluttershy said._

_The other Fluttershy snorted and grinned. __**"Mean, but true,"**__ she said derisively. __**"We made sure of that! Broke their legs so they can keep using our crutches!"**_

_"That's not true!"_

_The other Fluttershy winced at Fluttershy's outburst. She lowered her gaze and let the weight of all her bonds drag her completely to the ground. __**"Why did you come down here?"**__ she asked softly._

_"I-I don't know," Fluttershy replied. "I didn't even know what was down here! What happened here? Who are you? Why do you look like me?"_

_**"Light happened. Burned right through the ceiling. Nearly broke these bonds too."**_

_Fluttershy stared at what could easily be her reflection. This other Fluttershy was talking about her bonds breaking as if it was a bad thing. "Are you…are you Lok'horus?" she asked._

_**"Yes. I am Lok'horus, Leader of the Windigos. I've been in here all your life."**_

_The other Fluttershy's gaze was steadfast and determined as she said those words. Fluttershy wanted to believe them too. But the gaze was too steadfast…too determined. "You're lying," she said. "You're not a windigo." There was no answer. The steadfast gaze faltered and Fluttershy knew she was right. "Then who are you?"_

_Again, there was only silence._

_Fluttershy walked over to the band of metal around the other Fluttershy's torso. "You're not some evil windigo, I'm letting you out of those nasty chains."_

_The other Fluttershy tried to move away, but the chains held her fast. She strained violently, and the links scraped loudly against each other, but she barely moved an inch. __**"Bad idea,"**__ she grunted._

_"Why is that?" Fluttershy asked. She stopped, surprised to see somepony so cruelly held down, trying hard to stay that way._

_**"That light messed up the arrangement. It didn't just melt through the ceiling, it severely weakened these bonds. If these bonds break, I'll be out for good. I can't stuff you in here when I'm out. So we'll both just be…out."**_

_The other Fluttershy look about to say more, but it was Twilight Sparkle's loud, booming voice that filled Fluttershy's ears. The voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere at once. "Fluttershy! Come on! It's time to go!" Fluttershy felt her vision blur and the ground beneath her shake. The chains ground loudly again and she felt a hoof touch her shoulder._

_**"Listen!"**__ the other Fluttershy said. __**"You can't break these chains! Not anymore! If you do…"**_

_Fluttershy didn't hear the rest. Something was shaking her back and forth._

"Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy opened her eyes and found Twilight Sparkle's hooves on her shoulders, giving her a vigorous shake. She looked around briefly. She was back in their shared quarters in the Royal Palace. She didn't remember going here. Then again, she didn't remember anything after the horrible burning sensation in her chest when she said those words. "W-what happened?" she asked.

Twilight's eyebrows furrowed and she looked over her shoulder. Fluttershy followed the look and spotted Blue Moon just several feet away. The rest of her friends were all there as well. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had their barding on while all of them were bundled in thick cloaks. "Apparently a lot of things involving a Thorn, an imprisoned alicorn and the power of Oceanus," Twilight said in a low tone.

Blue Moon ignored the jab and stepped forward. "Are you feeling better now, Fluttershy?" he asked.

"Drop the concerned act!" Applejack said angrily. She jumped in front of Blue Moon, planting herself squarely between him and Fluttershy. "You got a lot of nerve trying to hurt Fluttershy just because she and some of the guards trusted you!"

"I did what I could to help her, Applejack," Blue Moon said in a steely tone. "The results are dubious, but I stand by my decision. It was better than doing nothing at all."

Applejack looked ready to lunge. Fluttershy stood from her bed and was about to say something to placate her friend when somepony else said something first.

"Applejack, wait!" Rainbow Dash said. When everypony looked to her, she turned her gaze downwards and scratched her head. "I kinda…sorta…believe him."

Applejack looked at Rainbow dubiously. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah." Rainbow pressed her lips together and looked at Applejack with more determination. "Think about it. The other Thorns are staying out of our way so we can take care of this Gravitas problem. Why would their old captain try to hurt us now?"

Behind Rainbow, Pinkie was nodding vigorously in agreement. Some hesitation crossed Applejack's face at this. "Well, that's sort of true," she said. Her eyes narrowed. "This isn't because you got cozy with one of his friends now, is it?"

The determined look on Rainbow's face turned into embarrassment and outrage. "I did not get cozy with Longstride!" she said through grit teeth. "We barely even slept!" A sharp, scandalized gasp from Rarity just behind her brought Rainbow up short. "Wait!" she said. "I didn't mean-!"

"Focus, girls!" Twilight said. She turned her attention back to Fluttershy. "How are you feeling? Are you hurt? Can you come with us to Sky Mirror Lake?"

Fluttershy looked at Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn was asking questions, but she doubted if any answer other than a yes would be acceptable. She was glad that she did feel strong enough to go. Even if she didn't, she'd force herself. She wasn't going to stand in the sidelines again while her friends headed straight into danger. "I can," she said with a smile. "Let's go."

Twilight returned the smile. "Good," she said. "Come on! The princesses are waiting for us!"

Fluttershy put on her own winter outfit and followed her friends out. As she passed Blue Moon on the way out, she smiled at him and dipped her head a bit. "Thank you for your help," she told him.

"I've done nothing," Blue Moon said. He looked straight ahead even as she passed him. "The real effort will come from you, Fluttershy."

All six bearers of the Elements of Harmony now trotted down the hall and towards the Chamber of Elements, where, as Twilight explained on the way, the two princesses were already waiting. The trip was quick and silent. Fluttershy looked to each of her friends. She was afraid that animosity was what kept them quiet, but she didn't feel anything like that time in Bastion City when Applejack and Rainbow were fighting. No, it wasn't animosity that silenced them. It was simply fear. That she could understand.

There was something else Fluttershy noticed. Applejack was looking around apprehensively. She wasn't the only who noticed it too. Twilight glanced towards Applejack and finally broke the silence. "Looking for Vanguard Clash?" she asked.

"I know he ain't coming along," Applejack said softly. "I just wanted to see him before we head off."

"Oh, look who's getting cozy now," Rainbow Dash said.

"This is different!" Applejack snapped. "He didn't shoot my cutie mark with a poison arrow or smack my face because I tried to save his life!"

Rainbow looked ready to retort, but she stopped when they reached their destination.

The doors to the Chamber of Harmony opened, and the sight of the two princesses hammered the reason for that fear into Fluttershy. Both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were not wearing their crowns nor their torcs. Instead, both were wearing barding: elegant, golden plates covered Celestia from her neck down. Each one, from the large ones that protected her chest and torso, to the smaller, over-lapping ones around her neck and legs, was shaped like a fine ivy leaf. Luna was adorned in a similar manner, only hers were silver.

"Those are…" Rarity's voice trailed off. She swallowed as if trying to get enough breath to finish a sentence. "Those are…beautiful."

"I had hoped to never find the need to wear these again," Celestia said. "But there's more fighting to be done. I see now that there will always be more fighting to be done." Her gaze swept over all of them. "Is everypony ready?"

All six of them nodded.

"The barding helps," Luna said. "I wish we had Regalia with us though."

Celestia's face, already serious and grim, hardened into a frown. "It was father's decree that took them away," she said. "Only father's decree can restore them to us." She tapped the ground with a hoof and then raised her head slightly. Her horn began to glow with soft, golden light. Beneath them, a circle of inscribed, magical symbols began to glow in resonance.

Twilight sidled slightly over to Luna. "Is it alright for her to keep casting spells like this?" she whispered. "I know she got some of her magic back, but…"

Luna's horn was glowing as well when she replied in an equally hushed tone. "Don't worry," she said. The array is my sister's, but I'll be supplying the bulk of the magical energy. Even a teleportation circle won't cost us too much if this much time is placed into casting it."

Twilight nodded and sidled back towards the rest of her friends. There was a flash of light, and the sight of the Chamber of Elements disappeared.

It didn't take long for Fluttershy to recover from the blinding flash and the disorientation of coming out of a teleportation spell. After going through several, she was starting to get used to it. The white walls of the Chamber of Elements were replaced by the wide open space of the outdoors. Cold morning air filled her lungs and a chilly winter breeze blew through her mane. The fresh-fallen snow crunched underneath her hooves. She looked around, taking in the sight of what should be changeling territory. She expected some kind of hive, the sort that the changelings tried to turn Canterlot into. Instead, all she saw was wilderness: bare trees and bushes, snow-covered boulders scattered around the landscape. The sight of it was…disturbing. There wasn't a single trace of anything to show that this was changeling territory. Her gaze went to the lake, where she spotted some kind of set of buildings. That must be Gravitas. This alicorn came here in a few days and now made it appear as if he had always been the one who occupied this place. The sight of what he had done was infuriating. Nothing deserved this. Not ponies, not changelings.

"About time you got here!"

It was easy to recognize Prince Terrato's deep and powerful, in the same way it was easy to recognize a nearby earthquake. It wasn't hard to miss the sight of him approaching them either. The blazing, deep red fire that was his mane looked almost inviting given the cold and his dark gray barding made him look like a great smudge of sooth against the nearly pure white background. He showed an approving smile when he laid his eyes on the two princesses. "It's been a long time since I've seen the two of you in those," he said. "I always did think you're at your most beautiful right before battle."

"Honestly, big brother," Luna said. The slight fluster in her tone was unmistakable. "We're going to a fight, not a ball!"

"Well, this is my type of ball," Terrato said, his grin widening.

"Terrato, where is Gravitas and what is he up to?" The cold sharpness in Celestia's tone felt like a knife barely missing Fluttershy. She swallowed looked to the eldest princess, whose expressionless gaze was focused on the prince.

Whatever banter there was in Terrato's voice disappeared in an instant. "He's turned that tent he set up earlier into a small fortress," he said. He pointed towards a walled structure that nearly encircled the entire frozen lake. "Say what you will about his genocidal paranoia, the stallion's pretty quick when it comes to digging in."

Celestia's eyes narrowed at the sight of the building. "Gravitas is a prideful stallion. If I challenge him to a fight, he will abandon his walls and his allies for the chance."

"He's also a powerful stallion who has defeated several handmaidens of Oceanus. At your full strength, he's a problem. As you are now, he'll crush you like an insect."

Everypony froze at the soft, low-pitched voice. They turned around and, sure enough, Black Rose herself was walking towards them. She smiled as if she was receiving applause for her entrance. "It feels so invigorating to be fighting with my beloved, even if it's just for this battle!" she said.

Twilight dropped into a low stance, her horn already glowing. "Give the princess's power back!" she growled.

"We've been over this, Twilight Sparkle," Black Rose said. "I suggest you get on the same page as the rest of us or you will cost us this battle." She looked over to Princess Celestia. "Forgive my interruption. I doubt that you actually plan on just fighting one of the Eternal Herd's great generals in single combat. And it is true that, if played right, the animosity between the two of you can be to our advantage."

"Gravitas sent somepony after you," Terrato said. "What happened with that one?"

Black Rose gave a light, dismissive snort. "His arrival was expected, the fight was planned out, and his defeat was inevitable. The smell was an unpleasant surprise though. Gravitas has either too much confidence in his troops or he has too much scorn for the ability of mortals. In either case, it's one more flaw to our advantage."

"There are four of us along with the Elements of Harmony," Luna said. "Shouldn't the numbers be on our side if we faced them head on?" Luna asked.

"They will," Black Rose said. "And I would recommend a full on assault. That is, if nopony minds casualties. Though we may overpower Gravitas through sheer power, he is an experienced and powerful alicorn. He's not going down without taking somepony with him." There was silence after that. Of course they would mind casualties. "Clearly that is not the path we will take then. If I may, I do have a plan…"

"Of course you do," Celestia remarked.

Black Rose's smile widened and she dipped her head slightly. "Gravitas specializes in defensive warfare. He will prove difficult to engage now that he's dug in like this. When he realizes that the soldiers he sent out have all failed, he will prove even more cautious. A challenge from Princess Celestia will be an obvious trap. To draw him out, we must use what he fears the most."

"The power of Oceanus in mortal hooves," Terrato said. "That would piss him off. He's that scared of the firstborn."

"And what would it take to show that?" Luna asked Black Rose. "Let me guess: giving you the Foul Weapon or the Crystal Grave?"

"Certainly that would be beneficial for me and for the current plan," Black Rose said. The princesses were already shaking their heads. As was Twilight and most of her friends.

"Wait," Fluttershy said. "What about the power of Lok'horus the windigo? He wouldn't like that would he?"

An intrigued looked crossed Black Rose's face. "Not at all," she said. "The windigos are powerful agents of Oceanus's will. Seeing their power will certainly alarm him."

**_"If you break these chains again…!"_**

Fluttershy shook her head. This was a good chance to help her friends. If fighting broke out, she may not be able to do anything against Gravitas. But if she could help here, she might make the difference. "If I can somehow…use the Stare, then Gravitas will come out."

"Fluttershy, that would put you directly in the path of an angry alicorn," Twilight said worriedly.

"I know you want to help out, dear," Rarity added. "But there has to be some other way!"

"I can do this," Fluttershy said, determination came more easily now that she had an idea of what she could do. Still, what she heard just earlier from that…other Fluttershy left her doubting herself. She wasn't even sure if she could get her ability to "come on" when she needed it. All she knew that she had to try. "I'll be fine. I know that all of you can get him when he comes after me."

"It does sound better than giving Black Rose more power," Terrato said. "I'll protect her with everything I've got when things start getting violent."

Celestia looked at Fluttershy worriedly and then nodded. "It's risky," she said. "I will count on you, my brother."

"Alright then," Black Rose said. "Let's do this."


	50. Mirror to the Sky

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 50: Mirror to the Sky**

Sky Mirror Lake.

To Twilight Sparkle, the name was...too simple for what had transpired and will transpire there. There was a sense of weight around the place, now that she stood so close to it. Even the air felt slow and heavy as she breathed it in. Standing on top of an elevated position, with some rocks and trees to serve as cover, she was able to see a portion of the lake itself despite the structure General Gravitas had built around it. Remarkably, the water had not frozen solid. Even from a long distance, she could see the gentle rippling across its surface as a breeze blew from the north.

As only befitting its name, the waters of Sky Mirror Lake displayed a sheen that was clearly magical in nature. The sky above them was still covered with dark gray clouds, with the early morning light struggling to shine through. The water showed that scene with equal clarity, as if there were two skies in that spot. Even with the rippling, the image was still perfect. Twilight could see even see individual clouds on the surface of the water.

A few weeks ago, this would have been a breath-taking, smile-inducing sight, even with the changeling presence. But knowledge of the Old Kingdom put a dark twist in Sky Mirror Lake's beauty. For the water to reflect images so well meant that it reflected light very well, which meant that very little, if any at all, reached beneath its surface. Just how dark were the depths of Sky Mirror Lake? She tried to imagine the place: a lightless, watery grave for the Old Kingdom. She doubted that even fish would reside in the crumbling ruins; if there were even fish in Sky Mirror Lake to begin with. Whatever lived in the water had to adapt to near total darkness, that and the power of Oceanus being so close. She wasn't sure she wanted to meet those things.

Behind Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had gathered around Fluttershy, still trying to convince her that they could find another way to draw out Gravitas and his allies. The royalty, and Black Rose, stood just a short distance away, eyeing the structure around the lake.

A few minutes ago, Fluttershy had been explaining her "Eye of Fear". It was difficult to hear in more ways than one. First, to learn the Fluttershy, of all ponies, held the power of one of Oceanus's lieutenants was nearly impossible to believe. Second, when she saw that her audience included her worried friends and a trio of very serious-looking royalty, Fluttershy's brave suggestion crumbled into a stammering explanation. Half embarrassed for having such an audience and half ashamed of having to tell them about the nature of her "stare", she squeaked and mumbled until Twilight swore it looked like Prince Terrato was about to explode.

It wasn't Prince Terrato's scowling impatience that made Twilight wary, however. It was Black Rose's knowing smile. Black Rose listened to the whole explanation as if she had suspected it along. She was supportive of the slowly forming plan, which made Twilight even more suspicious. What was it going to take to put this mare out of balance? To make something happen that she didn't have as part of her plan?

Twilight did her best to rein in her frustration. Her enemy was just a few feet away from Princess Celestia. This was a veritable shipwreck within sight of land. There was an upside though. She wasn't sure if she was actually seeing it or if she was only wishing too hard to see it, but Black Rose did seem a bit tired. She spoke confidently as she always did and she moved with the same grace, but, now that Twilight could see her personally instead of through magical images, the smaller details became more obvious: the slowing of her speech, the heaviness around her eyes...There was also something wrong with the aura of magic around her. It was much more powerful, as was expected, but it was also clearly less stable.

Twilight felt the urge to attack. There was weakness here, a vulnerability she had not noticed before. Black Rose's defences were not perfect and her Thorns were back in Canterlot. She glanced at the royalty. They must have noticed too. There was no way they couldn't. Perhaps Princess Celestia was so focused on General Gravitas that she couldn't be bothered to gauge the enemy right before her. Perhaps Prince Terrato was too involved with his former student to take advantage of the situation. As for Princess Luna...there was something odd going on with Princess Luna too. While her siblings looked towards the structure that Gravitas had built around Sky Mirror Lake, Princess Luna was staring intently at its waters, as if seeing something that nopony else could. Twilight shook her head and focused on Black Rose again. Did she dare? What if this was a chance? If she tried, would her friends quickly guess the situation and jump in? Would the royalty help her? She let a front hoof drag against the ground in anticipation and worry. When she heard the sound of the snow scrunching at the motion, she swiftly regretted that move.

At the sound, Black Rose suddenly looked back and straight towards Twilight, as if she had felt the stare on her. To Twilight's dismay, that annoying, confident smile widened just a little bit more. The message was perfectly clear. _Come and try_. Black Rose didn't need to use words. Twilight felt the chance, that ghost of a chance, quietly slip away. She would have to wait until Gravitas was dealt with.

"Is everypony ready?" Terrato asked. He addressed the question to all of them, but his eyes were on Fluttershy.

"Yes," Fluttershy replied. Twilight expected at least a minor tremble in her voice, but there was none to be heard. The rest of her friends looked like they weren't ready, seeing as Fluttershy had refused their offers, but they nodded anyway. Twilight had her own misgivings about the plan, but she didn't quite share in the fears of the rest of her friends. She saw Fluttershy digging into that book back in the hidden archives. She was the one who had to pull Fluttershy away from a book about the terrible things done in the Old Kingdom. It only seemed wrong to have to expose somepony as gentle and kind as Fluttershy to danger, but, perhaps, the greater wrong would be to try and hide her away while everypony else fought.

Twilight looked to her side and towards Pinkie Pie, who was also not bothering to talk Fluttershy out of it and also the one who was enthusiastic about the archives. "You're not going to talk Fluttershy out of this plan?" she asked.

Pinkie shook her head vigorously. "No," she said. "It's tough not being able to help as much as you want to." She looked wistfully at Fluttershy. "I'm not taking this away from her. I just hope I get a turn later."

Oddly enough, Twilight felt like smiling despite Pinkie Pie wishing that she'd be thrust into danger too.

"Well, it looks like there ain't anyway we can talk you out of this," Applejack said. She clasped Fluttershy's front hooves with hers and looked at the pegasus imploringly. "Just promise me you'll stay safe, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy answered with a sad smile. "Applejack, I can't," she said. "Not without lying."

A moment of silence passed as the others moved back and let Fluttershy stand between the royalty.

"Don't sound like you're making farewells," Terrato told the pegasus sternly. "You're off to accomplish a mission, not off to the gallows."

"Y-yes, your highness!" Fluttershy said. She trotted over to stand between Terrato and Celestia. "I'm ready to start!"

The stern look turned to approval as Terrato spread his wings. "Alright. There is no way Gravitas is not yet aware that we're nearby. He's likely pissed that none of the alicorns he sent took out their respective targets. Fluttershy, do you need to actually stare at somepony to use this Eye of Fear of yours?"

"I...I 'm not sure." Fluttershy looked away when the frown returned on Terrato's face. "I don't think so. I think I can just use it from afar and he'll notice."

"You think?" Terrato asked.

"W-well, I've never tried it before."

Terrato's frown deepened. "Are you sure you can even use it on command?" he asked.

The glower from the prince was slowly eroding Fluttershy's carefully built up courage. "No...but I really think I can...even if I hadn't before and..."

"Big brother let's just give her a chance," Luna said. "Nopony knows much about Lok'horus's abilities. She's doing all of these things by instinct."

"It sounds like a wonderful little gamble," Black Rose said.

"Damn it, Rose..." Terrato growled. "Alright, we'll fly a little closer and then see what Fluttershy can do. Luna, stay with the other Elements of Harmony and make sure they can join in as needed."

All of them nodded again as Terrato, Celestia, and Black Rose, flew off with Fluttershy.

* * *

><p>For Fluttershy, it was as if the cold was clinging to her feathers as she took to the air. Her wings felt stiff and each flap felt like the wind was trying to push her away. She looked to the alicorns around her. None of them seemed to be experiencing the same trouble. She knew why too. There was no powerful wind blowing her back or oppressive cold weighing her down. It was fear that was pushing her back, fear of General Gravitas and those other alicorns who were out to destroy everything, and it was doubt in what she could actually accomplish that was weighing her down. She would have been happier flying through an actual blizzard than dealing with these feelings, but she flew gamely on.<p>

"This should be far enough," Prince Terrato said.

The four of them now hovered in front of the fortress-like structure. They were still a good distance away, probably around half a mile. Fluttershy looked towards Terrato, who was hovering in front of her. It was only now did she realize that she was going to rely on him to most for protection. She didn't trust Black Rose and Princess Celestia, while doing much better and certainly willing to protect her, was still not at full strength. The prince was intimidating, unfriendly and outright rude, but she had to admit that, having him in front of her was reassuring.

"When you're ready, Fluttershy," Princess Celestia said. She had a more reassuring tone than her brother, but Fluttershy could tell that the princess was also expecting much of her.

As for Black Rose, Fluttershy didn't even want to look at her. The mare had a smile full of traps. If Fluttershy caught a glance of that now, she would never be able to do anything. Instead, she closed her eyes. Whether she called it "the Stare" or "Eye of Fear", she needed it now. 'Please,' she pleaded inwardly. She remembered the other Fluttershy, chained away in some dark hole underneath her cottage. It could just be a dream, but she was willing to grasp at anything at this point. 'I need you now.'

**_"You can't break these chains! Not anymore!"_**

The words of warning flashed within Fluttershy's mind. What did that other Fluttershy mean? The more she thought about them, the less that time seemed a dream. She focused on that image of herself, locked away, chained more tightly than an anchored airship. 'Break these chains...' she thought. She felt drawn to the idea. The image of her looked up and she wasn't sure if she was still imagining things and willing the image to look up or if she was actually staring at that place again. The look in her other self's eyes told everything. There was no going back on this. She willed those chains to break. Prince Terrato asked her if she could use it "on command". She knew she could if she just accomplished something within her. This was it. Instinct was all she had to guide her, but she knew that doing this would accomplish something. The links began to shake.

**_"Not anymore!"_**

The warning resounded in her head again. "Anymore" meant that she had done so before. Whenever she had needed it, she had used this ability. When the need passed she locked it away. Perhaps she had done no better than what Princess Celestia had been doing, desperately ignoring a n necessary part of her life. That had to end here, just as the barrier had to end. That other Fluttershy, whether it was Lok'horus, some side of her, or something else, should not be chained and locked away. She tried to imagine herself tugging at them as hard she could. She didn't see her hooves actually touching them, but she could see them beginning to strain.

Then, a loud clinking noise, like a metal link snapping, brought Fluttershy out of that image. Her eyes opened so quickly that the alicorns around her, all of whom were staring at her now, looked surprised.

"Fluttershy?" Princess Celestia asked. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," Fluttershy said weakly. She didn't feel anything different. Her eyes weren't tingly or anything, not that they ever were whenever the Stare came on by itself. She couldn't even look at Prince Terrato now, let alone even suggest to him that she was having no luck with trying to bring out the Eye of Fear. She turned her attention back to the walled structure that sheltered their enemy. Why did they even have to lure Gravitas out? He came to this world to kill all ponies, only to hole up by a lake as if he was the victim. She pressed her lips tightly together, resentment starting to build from within. The only thing worse than a murderer was a cowardly murderer. She could imagine a big, heavily-muscled alicorn, easily four or five times her size, cowering in a corner or hiding under a desk because the minions he sent all failed and he was the one now being attacked. This is supposed to be an Eternal Herd general? A cornered rat would have more dignity.

"Fluttershy!" Princess Celestia's voice, normally soothing and reassuring, brought Fluttershy up short. She looked hastily at the princess, an apology already at her lips even though she had no idea what she was doing wrong. What had happened? And how long had she been just hovering there just staring? The princess didn't look upset, however, she looked both pleased and concerned. "You've done well, Fluttershy," Princess Celestia said, when she saw the Fluttershy was now paying attention. "Well, and enough. Are you alright?"

"That was...enlightening," Black Rose said. "This little gamble has certainly paid off."

"We're going to discuss this some other time," Terrato said darkly. He turned his gaze back to the structure by the lake.

Fluttershy could only blink. Well and enough? But she hadn't even done anything! What happened and-!

A distant boom, like a massive and powerful thunder strike jerked Fluttershy's attention back to the walled structure. That was followed by the heavy crunch of armor plates crashing to each other. Instead of seeing the distant fortress, she found herself staring at what appeared to be an ornate...pillar, as wide as the trunk of an oak and easily six feet long. She noticed unreadable markings all over the silvery metal. The weapon strained violently, as if it was still trying to get to her. She glanced to her right and found the bladed point of a spear doing the exact same thing, the weapon barely touching the tip of her ear.

Something warm began to trickle down the back of Fluttershy's ear, slowly making its way to her neck then down her shoulder. Her heart jumped from steady to frantic in an instant as she took in the scene unfolding just inches away from her. To her front, Prince Terrato had slammed into an enormous alicorn, one even bigger than he was. The prince's hooves were an enormous shaft of silver so dangerously close to pounding her skull into paste. To her right, both Princess Celestia and Black Rose had blocked the thrusting spear of a golden armored alicorn, this one hardly any bigger than Princess Luna.

A second boom erupted from behind them. Fluttershy gasped, realizing that it came from where her friends were, but she didn't dare look away from the deadlock in front of her.

Then, with an angry grunt, Prince Terrato shoved the bigger alicorn back for several feet. The smaller one retreated and hovered next to its companion. "Not even a word of greeting, General Gravitas," Terrato said. "Royalty doesn't get you anywhere these days, it seems."

General Gravitas, the big one with the pillar as Fluttershy noted, wasn't looking at Prince Terrato when he replied. First, he turned towards the smaller alicorn. "Fulmen, join Ridentem and censure Princess Luna. Kill the mortals with her. I will deal with these ones." Fulmen, simply nodded and then winged his way towards where Princess Luna and the others were. Once he was alone, Gravitas turned his gaze, not on Prince Terrato, but Princess Celestia. "It was a sad time for the Herd when the fall of Lexarius was discovered. Sadder will it be when it becomes known that Princess Celestia has fallen further still." His deep voice went from a solemn monotone to an angry snarl. "How dare you show yourself to me while consorting with a vessel of the firstborn's power? You wretched little filly, forever shall his majesty be shamed for fathering two wicked children!"

"Open your eyes for once, brute!" Celestia retorted, her tone's sharpness easily rising to match Gravitas's fury. She gestured to Fluttershy with a foreleg. "This 'vessel' is called Fluttershy and she also happens to be the bearer of the Element of Kindness. Before you is proof of what the mortals truly are: potential for both good and evil bound together by a will that's free to choose! Destroying them is a mistake even a foal should be ashamed of making!"

Gravitas did pause and stare at Fluttershy intently. His ice-blue eyes narrowed as he did so. "It is true, the Element of Kindness does reside in this one," he said. He sounded calmer now, but his voice remained stony. "My duty is clear. The Elements of Harmony must be freed of their prisons and returned to the Herd."

Celestia's eyes widened for a second before narrowing into slits. Fluttershy could swear that she saw the princess flush in anger. "By my father upon the Throne, Gravitas! If you thought any less, you would drain the minds of those around you!"

Gravitas answered with a frontal charge, his weapons sweeping at them in a wide arc. Prince Terrato flew ahead to intercept the blow while Princess Celestia held Fluttershy in a telekinetic grip and flew out of the way. Black Rose had already circled behind Gravitas, her horn surrounded by both golden and black magical energy.

"Celestia!" Prince Terrato called out as he struggled against the enormous weapon. "Get her back to the rest of the Elements and help Luna with those two! Rose and I will take this one down!"

Princess Celestia didn't reply, but she was already swooping towards where Princess Luna and the others were. Her telekinetic grip disappeared as soon as Fluttershy began to flap her own wings. Below them, clouds of dust partly obscured the violence still playing out. She could hear the loud bang of metal hitting stone as well as an odd "HOOO HOOO HOO", as if somepony had stuck his head inside a metal barrel and was laughing and echoing inside it. Celestia landed just in time as Fulmen arrived and Ridentem moved to stand next to him.

Princess Luna had conjured a crescent-shaped blade of silvery radiance. She was panting and sweating, her eyes focused entirely on her enemy even as Celestia went to stand next to her. Twilight Sparkle's horn was glowing while Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash had their weapons drawn. Even Pinkie Pie was holding on to that piece of slate she was constantly carrying. All of them were covered with dust and snow and sported a few small cuts from flying stone shards on their faces and legs.

"Not even one enemy casualty," Fulmen remarked. Fluttershy shuddered at the calm tone. He spoke as if he was a parent coming home to find the chores not yet done. "I had expected you to perform better than Caro and Culmen, Ridentem."

"Apologies," Ridentem said with a chuckle. "They actually know how to assist each other and the tiny princess is surprisingly capable."

"No excuses." The broad-bladed spear whirled around Fulmen, golden arcs of electricity running up and down its length.

"I had expected Gravitas to find no more use for his head than a spot to hang a champron," Celestia said. "But I refuse to believe that all his troops are the same. Tell me honestly, Fulmen Lancea, will you kill these ponies solely because somepony told you to?"

Fluttershy glanced towards Celestia. She could understand at least trying to reason with these two, but it didn't make much to understand that they were not going to back away. The bigger one, Ridentem, bounced on his hooves, displaying a great deal of agility for somepony so huge and bedecked in armor. He was covered in thick, brass-colored plates, his face covered entirely by something that looked both like a champron and a mask. The eye holes were upturned and the mouthpiece was curved so that this monstrous alicorn looked as if he had a permanent, disturbingly jolly smile on his face.

It was the smaller alicorn, Fulmen, that Fluttershy really doubted would have any point to give other than the one the rest of his spear was attached to. Like his companion, Fulmen was so covered in his bronze-colored barding that it was impossible to see his face. Unlike Ridentem, his champron didn't seem to have any eye holes or a mouth piece. It looked as if his head was encased in a single piece of bronze plating, shaped to resembled a scowling pony head. His bright red mane, like a lighter-colored version of Terrato's deep red flames, blazed from the top of the helmet and down the back of his neck. Fulmen was small enough to stand completely under Ridentem's shadow, but he was the pony in front and, despite Ridentem's barely-contained excitement, the bigger alicorn didn't so much as put a hoof past Fulmen. There was an unyielding stance to the way Fulmen stood that was enough for Fluttershy to understand that they would have to destroy these two or let them do their jobs.

Ridentem raised his massive hammer, slowly whirling it above his head. When he took a step forward, however, Fulmen raised a hoof to block him. "You wish to hear my thoughts on this matter?" he asked. "I'm surprised. I had heard that Princess Celestia listened only to what she wanted to hear."

Princess Celestia's horn glowed and a blade of golden light began to materialize in front of her. She took no step forward however, and her face remained calm. "That _was_ true," she said.

"Then let me make my stand in this clear." Fulmen pointed the tip of his spear at Fluttershy. She braced herself, fearing that those bolts of electricity might shoot out towards her. No lightning bolt came. "The mortals are and have always been only one thing: a problem. One that has been indulged rather than dealt with as any problem should be. This is not even unique in that regard. Your father, before his cycle, called for the closing of the void rifts when they first appeared, but some of the elders insisted on studying them. The problem grew as a result, but his gallantry ultimately saved us all. You are young, princess, which is why you speak and make stands as if these events are new and unique when, in reality, the same old truth is playing itself out yet again."

"And what truth is that?" Celestia asked. The sunlight blade she had been holding low now levitated right in front of her face.

"The politicians make the mess, the soldiers clean." Fulmen lowered his hoof and stepped forward. "Ridentem!" he barked.

"Are we done talking?" the other alicorn asked. His hammer whirled even faster to match the growing excitement in his voice.

"Yes. Let's solve this problem."

The hammer stopped whirling and the spear lowered to aim for a heart as both alicorns charged.


	51. To Fight Alicorns

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 51: To Fight Alicorns**

_"You don't like that I'm going, do you?"_

_Luna asked the question accusingly, knowing full well what her older sister's answer was._

_"No," Celestia said. She looked at Luna, eyes apologetic. "It's not that I don't want you around. It's because Lexarius will be a dangerous foe, and that is not counting what else we may encounter in that world."_

_"Mother said I have to go," Luna said with a tilt of her chin._

_"I know what Mother said," Celestia replied. Her words escaped her lips with a sigh. "I just...don't understand bringing my youngest sibling to a dangerous battle."_

_Luna felt a foreleg, her older brother's muscular, barded foreleg, drape across her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "She's had plenty of training," he said. Luna felt her chest swell at his confident tone. "And we'll protect her when she gets into trouble." The pride quickly started draining. "Besides, we need her for these 'Elements of Harmony' we're supposed to bring along." It was Terrato's turn to show some reluctance in his tone. "Personally, I don't see what's wrong with just stabbing him with our regalia and bringing him back here."_

_Celestia let out another sigh. "Her majesty has spoken," she said. "I'm opening the gate."_

Luna felt her jaw clench as both soldiers of the Eternal Herd began to charge. Direct physical combat was not exactly her forte. She had hundreds of sparring sessions with Animus Arcem and her siblings back in the Eternal Herd. She also had a plethora of spells to fall back on when threatened. The number of actual fights she had been in, however, was shamefully low. And in those battles, she had her siblings at their full strength, her regalia and the Elements of Harmony. Now, she found herself as the most capable in a group fighting against two experienced soldiers from the Herd.

"Watch out for Fulmen," Celestia said before darting to the side.

Luna's eyes strayed briefly towards her sister. Celestia wasn't scared. She didn't even sound worried. Her older sister, who had but a fraction of her power, who had spent centuries avoiding fighting, looked perfectly at home in the battlefield. A loud bang brought her attention back to what was in front of her. That enormous hammer had struck the ground and was now tearing it up as its wielder charged, sending clumps of earth and shards of stone flying as it went along. 'Wait,' she thought, 'that's Ridentem. Fulmen is-!"

"Luna!" Celestia's warning cry jolted Luna into action. Instinctively, she jumped to one side. She heard something whistle past her body, the draft from its passage actually ruffling some feathers on her left wing. Fulmen had just charged from behind her, his spear crackling with lightning. He raised his weapon and the tip exploded with electricity. Luna looked away from the brilliant flash, focusing her gaze on the ground. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the alicorn jump back. The ground, however, told of a more immediate concern. She was under a shadow, one that was quickly expanding. She flapped her wings and jumped to the side once more. Something heavy crashed into where she was standing a second ago. The force of the impact sent her flying for a good distance, but she managed to right herself in mid-air. Celestia was already by her side when some of dust from the crash started to settle. "I said watch out for Fulmen!" Celestia said sternly.

When the cloud cleared, they saw Ridentem's massive, armored form sitting in the middle of a small crater. Luna's eyes widened. "Did he just try to sit on me?" she asked.

"Focus!" Celestia was hovering above Ridentem in an instant, her blade of light slashing at the larger alicorn while he was still in a vulnerable position. Ridentem's hammer floated in front of him in defense. Its sheer bulk made it seem as if it was a thick wall of metal was blocking Celestia.

Suddenly embarrassed and angry, Luna shook her head. Her sister and her friends needed her at fighting form and all these little niggling doubts served only to weigh her down to inaction. She concentrated on a spell. When she joined her siblings to bring down Discord, she wielded her regalia alongside theirs. Though it was taken away when they defied their father a long time ago, she still remembered the feel and sight of it. She concentrated on those sensations now, slowly willing her magic to form its shape.

A crescent-shaped blade, seemingly made of shadowy strands and silvery flames materialized by Luna's side. She inspected the thing briefly. She got the shape and size right and it would be functional. Comparing it to her actual regalia would be like comparing a pointy stick to a master-forged sword, but it would function.

The blade was for emergency close-quarters fighting though. She turned her attention towards Fulmen and began to work her magic. As she expected of soldiers of the Herd sent to execute her sentence as part of their mission, his mind was shielded. Her phantasms and most of her enchantments were out of the picture for this fight until they could somehow dispel his protections. Plans of attack began to form in her mind. She smiled despite herself. Her brother was not here to "protect" her, her sister needed her help, and Nightmare Moon was not around to share in her actions. For this occasion, she was free to fight and the rush was...exhilarating. Her horn crackled with magical energy as she started her attack.

* * *

><p>Celestia cursed silently and flew back just in time to avoid a hammer swing so wide and powerful that her mane and tail blew back from the draft. For all his bulk and weight, Ridentem Malleorum moved and reacted with great speed. Even while sitting, he had whirled his hammer with expertise, catching each of her slashes with its head. He took to the air. He kept his weapon close and in front of him, ready to parry more attacks.<p>

Celestia remembered her own advice and tried to locate Fulmen without removing Ridentem from her field of vision. She spotted the smaller alicorn several feet away, already crouching for another dashing thrust. Celestia tensed. She was going to have to dodge two attacks from different directions in mid-air.

"Hold on there, speedy!"

Applejack's shout was followed by her chain lasso, encircling Fulmen's neck with links of metal and force. She gave a hard tug just as Fulmen started to charge. Though his face couldn't be seen, Celestia relished the thought of his surprise when a pony smaller than him tugged so hard that he was forced to veer off course and towards her. Whatever surprise he felt didn't last long though. He pointed his lance towards Applejack, sending a great bolt of golden electricity flying towards her.

The earth pony likely didn't expect such a quick and deadly reaction. She stood there, her chain still in her mouth. Celestia flew towards her, knowing she'd never make it in time.

The lightning struck a translucent globe of purple magic, much to Celestia's relief and pride. Twilight Sparkle stood next to Applejack, her eyes narrow as she focused on deflecting the powerful magic. The shield wavered, but it held until the bolt fizzled and disappeared. Celestia turned her attention back to Ridentem, only to find the bigger alicorn gone.

"HOO! HOO! HOO!"

Ridentem's hammer smashed into Twilight's shield, shattering it like glass. Twilight's cry was cut short by an explosion of rock shards and dust. "Twilight!" Celestia shouted. She charged Ridentem, determined to leave her sunlight blade buried in him this time. The dust cleared, but there was no horrible splatter of blood and gore under Ridentem's hammer. A short distance away, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack were flat on their backs. Between them was Rainbow Dash, on her belly with her front hooves on their chests. The trail on the snow she left behind showed just how far she had pushed them to safety. Rainbow quickly rolled on her back, her crossbow having miraculously stayed loaded. A bolt flew towards Ridentem, but he easily swatted it aside with a swing of his hammer.

Celestia turned towards Fulmen. Following their pattern, he was going to attack again, with Ridentem following up. She found the smaller alicorn caught in a predicament of his own, however. Fulmen Lancea was busy dodging the slashing blades of a shadowy figure that vaguely resembled her younger sister. A second shadow appeared directly behind him, its crescent blade gliding gracefully through the air and spinning around it. Fulmen dodged and weaved through the air, his spear whirled around him, catching strikes and making thrusts at every spare opportunity he got. A third shadow suddenly dropped down on him, its blade cutting into his bronze barding. The plates around his neck had a deep gash, but no blood flowed through the damaged metal, revealing that the cut was not deep enough.

Still, Celestia dove in. The longer this fight went, the more it would swing towards Ridentem and Fulmen. She did not believe for a moment, she could keep up this frantic pace without her full strength. Twilight Sparkle and her friends were strong and determined, but they lacked they sheer physical endurance and experience these two possessed. The more attacks these two used, the more they would tire just keeping each other alive. She took a few seconds to observe the patterns of attack. Fulmen was surrounded by a veritable storm of silvery lights and dancing shadows. From a distance, Luna hovered and concentrated on maintaining the spell. Celestia spotted her opening and joined the fray. The thrust of her blade of light cut through the myriad of feints and slashes. Fulmen's spear came up at the very last moment, its haft deflecting what should have been a lethal strike to the neck. Instead, Celestia pulled about a couple of inches of her weapon from Fulmen's shoulder. Some blood sizzled briefly on the tip of the blade. With Fulmen's barding at least an inch thick, she doubted that she did more than make him angrier.

Fulmen had turned his gaze towards Luna, however. "I expected such cowardice from you, lastborn," he said. He spun his place, still avoiding the attacks coming at him from nearly all directions. A surge of electricity burst from him, forcing Celestia and the shadows back for a few seconds. That brief window of time was all he needed to point his spear at Luna and fire another bolt of lightning, this one even bigger than the last.

Luna's horn stopped glowing. She flapped her wings hard to move, but the bolt struck true. Lightning slammed into her so hard that it flung her high into the air before dissipating. Her smouldering body spun as it fell forlornly to the ground while feathers and cinders flew from her. When she struck the ground, her body crumbled to ash.

"Luna!" Celestia cried out.

"Objective accomplished," Fulmen muttered. He turned his attention towards Celestia. His spear floated by his side.

"Coward?" Luna suddenly asked. Celestia smiled as she noticed that none of the shadows had dissipated. One of them shimmered, revealing her younger sister. "I've been slashing at you from the start!" She lunged, but Fulmen reacted swiftly. His spear found a home deep into her chest. Luna's only answer was a smile followed by an explosion of shadowy energy. Another shadow struck from behind. This time, the blade bit deeply. Blood spattered across Luna's side as she flew by. Her remaining shadow construct covered her back while she circled for another attack.

His wounds did not seem to concern Fulmen. Arcs of electricity surged from his horn in greater amounts. Celestia could hear the humming buzz of gathering magic. "Hiding recklessness with excessive caution, hiding a feint with another feint; impressive," he said. "This is good. The changelings had been too boring."

* * *

><p>"HOO! HOO! HOO!"<p>

Ridentem Malleorum's constant, belly-shaking laughter proved a disturbing counterpoint to the sound of his hammer tearing up the ground, the cries of warning from the ponies around him, and the pitched battle that his partner was currently locked in. He telekinetically swung his weapon with careless ease. If that wasn't infuriating enough for Twilight Sparkle, he displayed the same ease in swatting away bolts, chain strikes, mage blades, and spells. Ridentem couldn't even be bothered to fly. He trotted around like a filly chasing butterflies. Twilight wasn't sure if he was simply scornful of the idea of mortal ponies harming him or if he actually approached every battle like this. She didn't really have the luxury to ponder it either. She spread her efforts between aiming bolts of lightning and fire at Ridentem and raising force shields around her friends. Ridentem's powerful swings shattered her protections with only two blows, but the time those swings took was enough for his target to scramble out of the way.

Twilight found herself already breathing hard. It wasn't so much the exertion that was weighing down on her but the frustration. Nothing seemed to be fazing their enemy. All six of them milled around, circling the alicorn and keeping just out of reach. The laughing served as a dark reminder, however, that it was likely that none of them had been reduced to a bloodstain on the frozen ground because Ridentem was having too much fun. Twilight grit her teeth, desperately going through her repertoire of spells one more time, hoping that she had overlooked something that could put a dent in Ridentem's defenses. This was just one alicorn soldier! Equestria would soon face the coming of a fallen prince and his followers. What could they do against that when this one alicorn soldier stopped them cold?

"Twilight!" Applejack called out. Twilight looked up to find Ridentem trotting towards her. His hammer was already high above him, ready for an overhead smash. A quick teleportation spell came to Twilight's mind. In a blink, she was several feet behind the alicorn while his hammer pounded another crater into the soil. Another blink passed, however, and that same alicorn vanished.

"You unicorns are certainly much more amusing to 'solve' than changelings," Ridentem said from behind Twilight. Panicked, Twilight began to cast another teleportation spell, but she felt a ray of magic strike her first. She glanced at her hooves and noticed a brief glow of green light. She knew the signs: Dimensional Anchor. A shadow appeared beneath her and she knew what was coming next. She started to gallop forward, already fearing that it would be too late.

The hammer didn't crash into her, however. She heard the sound of chain links clinking together. She looked to Ridentem and saw that Applejack's chain had looped around both the hammer and the alicorn himself, tying them together. Applejack was several feet away behind Ridentem, pulling as hard as she could.

"You think you can bind me, silly mortal?" Ridentem asked with a chuckle. "Looks like you're missing more than a horn and wings!" He took a step forward. The links stretched taut. Even from afar, Twilight could see the beads of sweat trickling down Applejack's face as she strained to hold the alicorn back. Instinct told her to run while her friend could maintain the hold. She saw a different opportunity, however. She concentrated, forming as powerful a telekinetic grip on Ridentem as she could. The enormous alicorn froze, surrounded by a nimbus of purple magical energy. "Oho, what's this? A little contest of strength? Sounds fun!"

Now it was Twilight's turn to sweat despite the winter air. Ridentem was strong. So strong that he was still pushing forward despite her and Applejack's combined bindings. The links strained even more and the telekinesis began to crackle.

Suddenly, the ground directly under Ridentem's hooves began to glow. When he lifted his hooves, multi-colored arcs of energy crackled as if resisting his movements. Twilight recognized magic, but she didn't know what sort, or who was casting the spell.

"Earthen bindings! Earthen bindings! Earthen bindings!"

That was Pinkie Pie's voice. Twilight glanced towards the direction it came for. Pinkie Pie was holding her stone tablet towards Ridentem. The gems on the thing were glowing brightly. Pinkie Pie was shaking as she continued to chant as loudly as she could. "Earthen bindings! Earthen bindings! Earthen bindings!" Whatever bizarre magic Pinkie Pie was somehow accomplishing, Twilight doubted that shouting its name out was an actual part of casting it. Young unicorns would sometimes resort to it when first learning spells more complicated than telekinesis. The shouting didn't help the magic itself, but it did help them focus. What was important right now, however, was that Pinkie's "earthen bindings" added to Twilight and Applejack's efforts with telling effect.

Ridentem was barely moving now. The shaking in his armored form revealed true exertion on his part. More importantly, he had stopped that increasingly annoying laugh. He flapped his wings, but the magic around his hooves pulled him down. When Twilight saw his horn begin to glow, she quickly shifted to another spell. A green ray sprang from her horn, striking him in the chest. "I know Dimensional Anchor too," she said with a grin. She quickly returned to holding the alicorn down with raw telekinesis. Underneath the smile, however, she was still racing to find some form of effective attack. They couldn't hold this alicorn down for much longer. Her magical strength wasn't endless, neither was Applejack's stamina. She had no idea how reliable Pinkie's newly displayed magic was. She could see four mage blades circling Ridentem, diving in and out like mosquitoes from time to time as Rarity looked for some gap in Ridentem's armor that she could exploit. As for Fluttershy...

Twilight suddenly felt the powerful push against her telekinesis subside. The surprise nearly made her cancel the spell. She looked at Ridentem, but it seemed as if the alicorn was looking past her. Was there somepony behind her? She could still hear the clash of blades coming from the princesses and the distant explosions from Prince Terrato and Black Rose. That left only two possible ponies.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow shouted. Twilight spotted her flying in from behind Applejack. "What are you doing? Get out of there!"

Ridentem was shaking a great deal now. Still, Twilight didn't feel that much of a push against her magic. Something else was keeping the alicorn rooted to the spot.

"S-stop, staring at me..."

The sound of fear, of blood-curdling, crippling fear, in Ridentem's voice made Twilight's jaw drop. She saw her chance. She now understood what Fluttershy was doing behind her and it she wasn't wasting this moment. An idea came to mind as well. "Rainbow!" she shouted. "Ram into him! As hard as you can!"

"Are you crazy?" Rainbow shouted back. "That barding looks strong enough to crack my skull open!"

"Trust me!" Twilight let the telekinesis go. As she expected, Ridentem was still not moving. The chain around Ridentem slackened. The look on Applejack's face told her that the earth pony had noticed the same and had decided to conserve her strength. She looked to Rainbow Dash, who had flown high and looped once to gain some momentum.

Rainbow gave a loud scream as she picked up speed. It wasn't exertion nor was it pain. The pegasus was terrified of running headlong into a heavily-armored alicorn, but she still did it because her friend had asked it of her.

Twilight concentrated on placing a force field around Rainbow Dash. This one would have two purposes. The first was to protect her friend from being smashed to bits by her own velocity and Ridentem's barding. The second was to create an attack with more force than her magic alone could generate. The force field around Rainbow Dash wasn't the usual sphere of purple abjuration magic she used. She formed a sharp wedge around Rainbow, like an enormous spear head, and waited grimly from the riotous explosion of colors that was the Sonic Rainboom.

The bright lights that followed Rainbow Dash's signature move forced Twilight to squint. She felt her spell shake violently as Rainbow struck Ridentem from the side. She concentrated, desperately making sure that the force field was hard enough. If it shattered now, Rainbow could easily die.

Ridentem flew for a great distance towards Sky Mirror Lake, repeatedly bouncing and rolling on the frozen ground. Shards of his armor flew up and clattered noisily all over the place. His hammer crashed dozens of feet away from him. Twilight watched in relief as Rainbow flew up again after the impact. She dismissed her spell and then galloped with her friends to see how much damage they had wrought and if it was enough.

The walls that Gravitas had raised around Sky Mirror Lake loomed before them by the time they got to where Ridentem was. To their dismay, the alicorn was already up. Twilight focused on the rent portion of barding around Ridentem's left side. This was good. Even if they hadn't beaten him completely, the sight of him like this proved that they could actually penetrate his defences if they tried hard enough.

"Ohoho...well, I think I played around a little too much," Ridentem said. He pawed the ground a bit and shook his head. His hammer floated to his side. "That was quite the strike. The General's right, you are dangerous." He looked to his side and brushed against the exposed flesh with his hoof. Blood, a stark red stain against the white background, trickled down his hoof. "Wait, is this...blood? My blood?"

The alicorn stomped a front hoof so hard that the ground beneath it cracked and trembled. The change in Ridentem was so palpable that Twilight felt a twinge of regret about her attack. Had she made things a lot worse?

"You filthy, flesh-bag mortals!" Ridentem screamed. His voice rose to an ear-grinding screech. "I'm going grind your bones into feed!" He took to the air and flung himself towards Fluttershy.

From the side, Applejack hurled her lasso again. The looped end landed on point, catching Ridentem around the neck. The alicorn responded by snatching the chain in his mouth and hurling Applejack through the air. The earth pony sailed through the air and crashed violently to the ground. Ridentem dragged her through rocks and hard earth for a good distance before she wisely decided to let go. The chain, bereft of a wielder, unknotted itself and shrank into its short length next to Applejack.

Rarity's mage blades flew towards the opening in Ridentem's barding. All they met, however, was a vicious swat from his hammer. Twilight looked worriedly towards her friend when she heard Rarity cry out in pain. She saw the unicorn clutching a foreleg in agony. Three of her mage blades had struck the ground around her. One of them had buried itself deep into her flesh.

"Fluttershy, get out of there!" Rainbow Dash charged, going so far as trying to meet Ridentem head on. Fluttershy was rooted to the spot even with the rampaging alicorn flying towards her. Ridentem's horn flashed and Twilight's shield began to crackle violently. She struggled to maintain it, but tendrils of powerful dispelling magic cut through her abjuration and ripped it apart at the seams. The force field dissipated with Rainbow just an inch from Ridentem. A loud clang accompanied the impact of her head and Ridentem's barding before the pegasus fell limply to the side and tumbled on the ground.

"EARTHEN BINDINGS! EARTHEN BINDINGS! EARTHEN BINDINGS!" Pinkie Pie was yelling. Nothing was stopping Ridentem, or even slowing him down. She put the tablet away and galloped, but Twilight knew she wasn't going to make it.

As for Twilight, she had few options left. Her telekinesis wasn't slowing the alicorn down. She focused on a short teleportation spell aimed at Fluttershy. To her shock, a green ray flew from Ridentem's horn, striking Fluttershy squarely on the head. The pegasus remained standing there. Twilight had already expected that, but she dreaded it nonetheless. In the face of danger, Fluttershy often forgot what the fluttering feathery things attached to her back were called, or what they were for. ''No!' she thought. 'He's a brute! How is he keeping one step ahead of me?"

Ridentem was only a few feet away from Fluttershy when Twilight was also galloping. As her mind raced for some way to save her friend, a brief grim thought occurred to her. No, Ridentem didn't really need to keep one step ahead of her. He was an alicorn soldier. Of course, he was trained to fight other alicorns who would try to teleport away if somepony charged at them with a giant hammer. Her tactics were simply falling in line with standard procedure.

'And there's an army of them,' an unwanted reminder resounded in her head. 'An army of alicorns led by their fallen prince just waiting beneath the waves.'

"Fluttershy, please!" Twilight cried out. "Move!"

At the last few seconds of that charge, Fluttershy finally flapped her wings and began to move. The hammer swung down so violently that Twilight, who was still several feet away, was lifted off her hooves and flung back. She heard a loud cry of pain. Fluttershy's. Twilight actually felt glad for that. It proved that her friend was not underneath that hammer's head. Rock shards flew at all directions. Twilight could only grit her teeth as she felt several slice past her legs and torso. One even cut a shallow but dangerously close wound on her neck.

The dust settled and a great sense of relief flooded Twilight when she Fluttershy several feet away from the crater left behind by the titanic blow. That relief turned to panicked concern when she saw that Fluttershy was pressing a hoof over her right eye. Several trails of bright red blood trickled down her hoof and dripped on the ground. "I'm okay..." she whimpered between pants. "I'm okay..."

Twilight started to gallop forward again. She had a healing spell in mind. A rudimentary one she had been working on in her spare time. It would have to do. She had taken only a few steps forward when she froze in shock.

A flash of white magic burst from behind Fluttershy, revealing Ridentem Malleourum's enormous form. His hammer was raised by his side, ready for a sweeping strike. "Is that so?" he asked.

The motion was so fast that Twilight Sparkle didn't see any impact: just a blur of colors and Fluttershy disappearing from her sight. But she heard a sound. A horrible sound that she knew she would always remember. It sounded like an enormous anvil had been lifted overhead by somepony and then hurled into a puddle of mud. Something flew past her. She turned and looked up just in time to catch some distant shape, already too far to catch a good view of, sailing past the walls that blocked off Sky Mirror Lake where it would probably land in the water.

The gentle hum of magic drew Twilight Sparkle's attention towards her front. Ridentem Malleorum stood at the ready once more. The red stain on the surface of his weapon served a gristly reminder of his terrible crime. "One down," he growled.

* * *

><p>Rarity winced as her telekinesis slowly pulled her weapon from her foreleg. The wound was deep and the metal had dug all the way to the bone. She was hesitant at first to remove the thing, fearing the fountain of blood that would follow and her strength failing her before she bled to death. She went on with it anyway. As soon as the blade was out, she quickly tore off a portion of her mage coat to serve as a crude bandage. She now had a very strict time limit when it came to defeating this alicorn. As if she didn't have enough problems with him to start with. She turned her gaze back to the fight. She was lucky that Ridentem hadn't come after her. She heard the powerful bang of hammer striking rock and soil once again. Ridentem must have missed something. Fluttershy's cry of pain instantly snapped her alert. Something bad was going on here. If only she could...<p>

Then that sound reached her ears.

It was horrible, disgusting sound. An unfeeling, hard thing colliding with something soft and warm. A shadow briefly flew overhead. That didn't matter to Rarity at the moment. What she focused on was that she couldn't find Fluttershy, who should be just in front of Ridentem. She saw Twilight Sparkle, saw the horrified expression on the other unicorn's face, then the red stain on the hammer.

"No..." Rarity set all four hooves on the ground. Pain lanced up her injured foreleg, but she ignored it. "You didn't! You...you..."

There were no words. Beast, monster, abomination, wretch...nothing fit. Nothing could describe this alicorn and the thing it just did. Rarity's blades flew in front of her and she found herself despising them just as she was starting to despise herself. They were so small, so puny and inadequate. What was the point of having them, of having the ability to use them, when she could only stand by and watch a friend die?

_"Lost something precious again, have we?"_

Rarity's eyes widened. 'Lion Court?' she thought.

_"Oh, my dear Rarity. You didn't think fresh cuts were the only things I left on you when you were unconscious in that restaurant, did you? I'm an enchanter, my dear, we work best when the lady can't say no. You looked so pretty lying there bleeding that I couldn't help myself so I left this little nugget to bounce around quietly in your mind."_

'I don't need this right now!" Rarity thought. She blinked tears away and galloped towards Ridentem.

_"This one should be triggered by a great sense of loss. I know your type. The question is always who, not what. So who did you lose, my dear Rarity? My guess is that it's one of the weaker ones: Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy. I hope it's Pinkie Pie. Sable performs at her best when she can't control the rage."_

Rarity grit her teeth. 'SHUT UP!'

_"It's such a shame isn't it? Generosity is a virtue that pre-requires greatness. How sad to discover time and time again that you're not great enough."_

Rarity's steps slowed. Not great enough. She thought of Applejack, being sliced open while she was nowhere to be found, Princess Celestia being drained with her help, Rainbow Dash being captured and tormented while her methods barely helped. And now Fluttershy...

Greatness. It had always eluded her since the beginning. Eluded and tantalized her. From being born in the rural outskirts of Equestria's fashion capital to this very moment. She had felt the frustration before, but she had never, ever wanted it as she did this moment. She brought both front hooves to the ground. The pain that shot through her leg felt deserved. Necessary even. Another tear drop, mingling with the blood-soaked bandage. She looked ahead and saw Twilight Sparkle galloping towards her. Behind the other unicorn, their alicorn foe was closing in, hammer raised for another sweeping strike. "No..." she whispered. "Not again!" She willed her weapons to move desperately, wishing that, just once, she could do something.

Rarity felt one of her blades fly. The next moment, the alicorn had crashed to the ground. She gasped at the unexpected impact. Was she the one who did that? She looked towards Twilight Sparkle. A powerful enough move to bring the alicorn down would make more sense coming from her the unicorn with the strongest magic. Yet, Twilight Sparkle was staring at their fallen foe agape.

A closer look at their enemy revealed what had happened. One of the alicorn's forelegs had been pierced by what looked like an enormous, scintillating shard of blue-white crystal. The shard curved gracefully, like the fang of a great beast. Its facets looked like they were cut by a master gem crafter. The beauty of the thing left Rarity breathless, even more so when she saw that, at the center of the translucent shard was her mage blade. The crystalline form wavered slightly, revealing its nature as a magical construct. Instinctively, Rarity knew that her blade was not going to stay like that for very long.

The alicorn struggled to lift his foreleg from the ground, but the barbed portions of the crystal shard held him fast. Three more blades flew in rapid succession. He cried out in rage and pain as all four of his legs were pinned to the ground. "Filthy mortal!" he shouted. His hammer flew towards Rarity, the air all practically rippling around it as it spun towards her. Surprised, Rarity closed her eyes out of reflex.

A deafening clang snapped Rarity's eyes open, however. That she was not reduced to a bloody pulp was both a relief and a shock. She saw the hammer's head fly backwards and crash a good distance away. The broken haft landed on the ground. She looked in front of her to find Applejack and a great, golden disc of light in front of both of them. Tears were also running down the earth pony's face. "I am _not_ losing another one!" she shouted at the alicorn.

Rarity looked around her. Their enemy was pinned in place. They just needed one more powerful move. She looked towards Rainbow. The pegasus was still face-first on the ground while Twilight Sparkle looked exhausted. Pinkie Pie was fiddling with that stone tablet again. She looked as unsure of what she could do as Rarity was. What could they hit this alicorn with? Rarity's frantic searching halted, however, when a chilling wave slammed into her from behind. She looked behind her, her heart in her throat.

Something had flown above the walls that blocked Sky Mirror Lake. It looked like a great, tangled mess of smoky, black wisps at first, but a bright green point of light drew Rarity's eyes to what was at its center. There was a familiar shape there. It looked like…

It looked like a pegasus.

All her life, Rarity had always had an eye for detail. Even with the distracting wisps and the blast of cold, she could make out the pony. The malevolent, bright green thing that shone from the shadowy wisps was an eye. The light that seeped from it nearly made the other eye indistinguishable, given that the other one looked more like a dimly glowing crack. Once she figured that out, she could trace the outlines of a snout, a long flowing mane, the legs and the tail. She knew those features but she couldn't even say the name in her mind, as if that would be enough to confirm something she wasn't sure she wanted to.

The thing from the lake flew towards them, moving so with such grace it seemed to be swimming through the air instead of flying through it. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and Pinkie Pie also stared at it with their mouths hanging open. None of them readied a weapon or a spell. Rarity wouldn't have either, even if she didn't have her mage blades pinning the alicorn's limbs. The lone glowing eye held her fixed. The thing began to hover in front of the alicorn. It lowered its head slightly, gazing directly into the alicorn's face.

There was a moment of silence, as if all the sound had been sucked away along with their breaths. The thing reared back and then thrust its fearsome eye forward. Green light exploded from its eye, catching the alicorn in a cone of brilliance. Rarity grit her teeth as a horrible, agonizing screech followed the burst. It didn't come from the thing. No, it was a terrified scream from their enemy. The light vanished in an instant. In its place was a field of what looked like black ice that formed a triangular patch on the ground. The green light disappeared and shadowy wisps coming from the flying thing withdrew, like a startled spider would draw up its legs. The flying pony at the center fell to the ground and lay still, the blackness fading from it like smoke. Now, Rarity can see the flowing pink mane and the yellow coat. She quickly trotted over to see if Fluttershy was alright.

As for their alicorn enemy, he stood perfectly still, black icicles hanging from his enormous bulk while dark vapor rose from him.

"Land's sakes…" Applejack breathed as she trotted beside Rarity. "Did we do it? Is that varmint dead?"

The sound of ice cracking answered Applejack's question more loudly than anything Rarity had to say. All of them looked towards the alicorn and saw some movement from its neck. "There's no way!" Rarity hissed. "We've thrown so much at it!"

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight Sparkle suddenly called out. Both Rarity and Applejack looked towards where the pegasus had fallen. Rainbow was already on her hooves, but she was still shaking a daze off. Her eyes widened in confusion when she saw what had happened to their foe. Twilight's horn started to glow as she continued shouting. "Once more!" Though obviously still confused and hurt, Rainbow Dash flew gamely upward.

Rarity recognized the tactic and she hoped that it would finish the job this time. Their enemy was still completely still, but she doubted that this would last forever. It would be unbelievable for even an alicorn to fully recover, but he was so strong and they were so exhausted that even the smallest possibility that their foe could still fight filled her with dread. Rainbow flew high for momentum and began a near vertical descent. Rarity could understand the different approach. The pegasus was exhausted and needed all the help she could get, including gravity's. She picked up speed midway, and the pegasus's form was subsumed by the streak of colors she was producing.

It was a prismatic comet that struck the frozen alicorn and the blast of scintillating light forced Rarity to turn away and duck. That and the great cloud of debris. The shockwave pushed her against the ground, forcing her to leave a short trail on the snow. Bits of glassy material struck her back. From the cold, she figured that it must be the black ice. She could hear the bangs of metal striking ground. Hopefully shreds of the alicorn's armor.

The explosion eventually died down. The searing light faded and the noise came to a halt. Rarity finally managed to get herself to look towards their enemy.

The small field of black ice had disappeared, replaced by a shallow crater. At its center, Rainbow Dash lay still. A quick look was enough to reveal the rise and fall of her chest. As for the alicorn: Rainbow must have struck it from the side, the same side where its armor was already torn. The top half had flown clear off to the distance while the bottom half must have been pushed to the ground by the blast. There was no blood anywhere.

"Rainbow!" Rarity heard Applejack shout. The earth pony choked a bit on the clouds of dust. "Fluttershy! Pinkie! Twilight! Rarity!"

"I'm right here!" Rarity said. She sneezed when some dust entered her nose.

"Good," Applejack replied. "What about the others? Can you see them?"

Rarity looked around. Fluttershy must have been rolled over for a short distance by the shockwave. She decided to head there first. By rights, Fluttershy should be dead. But something had happened and, now, there was a chance she was still alive. The pain in Rarity's foreleg was starting to catch up now. Blood had soaked through the makeshift bandage and began running down her leg and onto the ground. She limped towards the fallen pegasus, unable to force herself to go any faster. She saw Applejack running towards Rainbow Dash, with Twilight Sparkle running over to join her. As for Pinkie Pie, she was also heading for Fluttershy.

"Ridentem!"

The anguished cry nearly made Rarity's heart stop. She recognized the voice of the other one and remembered that the fight was not yet over. She saw the smaller alicorn flying over to where the top half had flown with the two princesses in hot pursuit. It was hard to make out the details from the distance, but it looked like both of them were fine.

The smaller alicorn landed next to his now dead comrade. Rarity could see the arcs of white magic emerging from the corpse and into the still living enemy. She had no idea what was going on, but she braced herself. The battle was still on.


	52. The Lastborn

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 52: The Lastborn**

"Defeated by a slovenly gang of mortals…have you no shame at all, Ridentem? How are we supposed to make our stand in this world now?"

It was difficult for Luna to grasp the emotion behind Fulmen Lancea's words when they reached her. For certain, there was genuine scorn in there. None of Gravitas's troops had bothered hiding their disdain for mortals. For alicorns who prided themselves as soldiers of the Herd and the best among Gravitas's loyal followers, being defeated by those they considered their lessers had to be shameful.

It was the second question that added something else to Fulmen's reaction. There was more to this than scorn. There was also frustration, perhaps even a sense of loss. Ridentem was likely recovering in the Eternal Herd by now, but he would never be able to cross into this world again. The two would never be able to band together against Oceanus's tide in this world.

Luna quashed any sense of sadness she might have felt. Ridentem brought his defeat upon himself: first, for even attacking mortals without any provocation, second, for not taking them seriously enough. She focused now on the wisps of magical energy emerging from Ridentem's torn half. Fulmen's horn was glowing and Luna recognized a necromantic spell. She didn't need her brother's expertise to tell what was about to happen. She thought of flying in and trying to interrupt, but Fulmen didn't look particularly distracted. All she may very well accomplish was to charge into a readied spear. As she expected, the spell was over in a few more seconds. She braced herself, a few spells of her own ready for whatever Fulmen did.

The effect quickly made itself obvious. Arcs of golden electricity coursed through Fulmen Lancea, surging violently into the ground and lashing at the air menacingly. Luna blinked. Were her eyes playing tricks or was he…growing?

"Luna!" Celestia hovered next to Luna, her blade of light by her side. The older princess looked over to Twilight and her friends, who were regrouping at a distance. Luna easily noticed the pride in her sister's eyes. "Twilight Sparkle and the others have done their part. It falls to us to finish this."

"That's easy to say, big sister," Luna replied. "It seems to me that the enemy we were hard-pressed to begin with just became stronger."

"Stronger perhaps," Celestia replied. "But also angrier. We can use that to our advantage."

Luna nodded and observed her opponent. Her sister was right on both counts. Twilight Sparkle and her friends had done well in bringing down Ridentem Malleorum, but to expect more from them for this time would be unreasonable. She saw them gathering around Fluttershy, who was lying still on the ground. Their injured friend required healing, at least attention for the moment. The rest of them had not escaped the fight unscathed. That left just her and her sister. With Celestia-

A stroke of lightning, flew from the tip of Fulmen's now enormous spearhead. With a gasp, Luna raised a shield to protect herself at the last moment. The bolt tore violently through the barrier, narrowly missing her back as she dove. She felt every hair on her body stand, and the skin on her back singe with the bolt's passing. The injury was minor, however. The bolt may have broken through her hastily constructed spell, but it had been diffused enough. The attack wasn't over. A powerful shockwave of sound followed the initial bolt, hurling her to the ground with a deafening boom. She struck the frozen earth hooves first, skidding briefly before she righted herself. She looked up and jumped backward, knowing full well that the danger still wasn't over. A massive spear struck the ground she was standing on from above.

"Luna!" Celestia dove in when it became clear that Fulmen was focused on her sister. She aimed for the now enlarged gaps between the bronze plates of her target's armor. Fulmen Lancea, despite having grown to three times the size of his partner, had not lost the slightest amount of his reflexes. He whipped his spear around, tearing a great gash into the earth itself and nearly slammed the metal haft into Celestia. The blade of light flew towards where Fulmen's neck plates met his champron, but he was already several steps back and aiming his spear before it could get there. With a snort, Celestia flew back.

Luna flew in while her sister recovered. Fulmen had the advantage in range, not just with his extended reach and long weapon, but also with his lightning bolts. The ground rumbled when he landed and took steps. All it would take from him was one good hit. Even a glancing blow would likely severely injure her. Her horn glowed anew. His eyes may have grown, but they worked the same way they did when he was smaller. The danger had merely increased. The strategy only needed some adjustments. Several shadows emerged from her again. Their blades weren't going to hurt Fulmen as they had earlier, but it should buy her and her sister some time…

It was well over a dozen shadowy clones that Luna brought out. Fulmen's answer was a bolt of lightning with just as many forks. They struck with perfect accuracy, destroying the illusions before they could barely even separate. The explosive shockwaves forced Luna to raise her shield again. Shards of rock struck the protective magic as she flew back. She looked around worriedly, hoping that Celestia didn't get hurt by that barrage.

"Have you exhausted your little bag of tricks, lastborn?" Fulmen Lancea said. His voice, deep and powerful enough at his regular size, boomed from his champron. "I hope not. I have a storm at my spear's tip still waiting to be unleashed and I'd like a moving target."

"Oh, a storm, is it?" Luna replied. "I hope it has more wind than your fat friend's hooting." It was difficult to tell if her taunts had any effect. Though Celestia had surmised that Fulmen was angrier now, the enemy alicorn's movements were still precise and controlled.

Luna finally caught sight of her sister. Celestia had fallen a good distance behind her. Other than a few banged up portions on her barding and the pants of exertion, her sister looked fine. She focused on her opponent now. Perhaps she had underestimated just how well Fulmen Lancea wielded his lightning bolts. Simple illusionary tricks weren't going to be effective, not when he was done underestimating her. If only she could tear through that shield he had around his mind…she glanced towards Celestia again, wishing she had her sister's talent for dispelling. At full strength, her sister would have dismantled that mind shield with practiced ease. She would have to rely on less direct means. She waited until Fulmen pointed his spear at her again before casting her spell.

Darkness, like a massive glob of ink, descended on Fulmen Lancea. Several arcs of lightning erupted from the resulting globe, but Luna easily dodged the blind strikes. She could hear Fulmen's wings flapping. The globe began to move, clinging to the alicorn like a sticky cloud of blackness. No additional bolts flew from the globe. Luna knew that the initial shock had already worn off and Fulmen was either working to dispel her magic or pinpoint her location. She already worked on the next spell, expertly weaving thicker strands of shadowy material in the air with her horn. If her darkness globe resembled smoke in its texture, these strands were more like tar. She sent them gliding towards the globe and her foe. Though she couldn't see Fulmen in her darkness, she didn't have to.

The globe of darkness dissipated, revealing Fulmen Lancea trapped by the shadowy strands and anchored to the ground beneath like a moth in a spider's web. He beat his wings furiously, the wind from his efforts stirring up clouds of snow and dust, but the strands held on. A burst of lightning erupted from his horn, but they simply crackled through the shadows harmlessly. With her enemy trapped, Luna focused on a third spell.

In the next second, Fulmen's spear was only a foot away from Luna. With a gasp, she raised a shield out of reflex and flew to the side. Fulmen's massive weapon shattered her abjuration like so much glass and proceeded to tear through her barding. Shards of silver fell forlornly to the ground below along with drops of her blood, as Herd-forged metal gashed her torso, just beneath her right wing. Luna winced in pain and spun in mid-air, desperately trying to right herself before the next attack came. She glanced back to the spot where Fulmen should have been anchored. All that remained of her shadow strands were bits of goo.

"Divination to negate the illusory aspect of the spell and a touch of abjuration to disperse the shadowy material," Fulmen said. He had taken to hovering just above Luna. That he didn't follow up with another attack filled her with outrage. "The correct combination would have taken time to figure out if it was my first encounter with that tactic. It's not. During the First Rebellion, one of the firstborn's handmaidens used it on me. You may recognize the name: Lunalux Umbra."

Luna's eyes widened for a moment, before she grit her teeth at the hinting.

"Surprised?" Fulmen asked. "Typical. You sixteenth-cycle alicorns act as if the world only began when you first opened your eyes. Your inexperience shows yet again, lastborn."

Luna's magic was already closing the wound to her side. Here was a dangerous cycle she had to avoid. Healing spells would deplete her magical strength and a depleted magical strength meant that she had less power to prevent more wounds. For now, she could afford to ease the pain and save her blood, but more wounds from the giant, lightning-infused spear were definitely out of the question.

Fulmen Lancea landed on the ground and crouched. Luna already recognized the posture. With his powerful legs and his wings to boost him, Fulmen could charge at blinding speeds. "I'm sensing a lot of hostility with that last remark, Fulmen," she said. "Is that what this is all about? You don't like how the decisions that the 'young ones' are making?"

Fulmen turned around and swung his spear at Celestia, who had been gliding silently towards his left side for an attack. She turned at the last moment, but the haft struck her a glancing blow. Even from afar, Luna could see her sister's wing snap as she crashed. "Big sister!" she cried out. She had taken only a step forward when Fulmen had already turned and pointed his spear at her. Lightning surged violently, gouging a smoking trail across the ground and towards Luna. She flew to the side, but a smaller arc branched out from the main bolt, striking her chest plate directly. Despite the intense pain, Luna couldn't cry out. Her throat seized up and her legs buckled as the energy coursed through her. She could smell her fur starting to smoke as she crashed to the ground.

"Distraction followed by a blindsiding attack," Fulmen said. He had not even moved from the spot, but his hooves had started forming a circular pattern from spinning around. "Nothing new, nothing special. I'm starting to feel insulted, lastborn. The vestiges of Ridentem's power should not be used to finish off something so pitiful."

Luna dragged herself to her hooves. Her legs were shaking and she was covered in burns. She fought through the nausea induced by the smell of her own burned flesh and focused on healing the worst of the damage. Even as she did that, she searched for her fallen sister all the while keeping Fulmen Lancea in her sight.

"But I forget my manners before a princess," Fulmen said. His monotone did little to hide the mockery in his words. "To answer your question…that would be a part of it. I am a twelfth-cycle alicorn, your highness, and soon I will be diminished. Before that happens, I want to make sure that there is something resembling my beloved Eternal Herd when I am restored."

"The mortals…don't want to ruin the Herd!" Celestia said as struggled to rise. Luna noticed that her sister's wing couldn't fold properly. "What is it that has you and Gravitas so convinced that they will?"

"Idealistic filly," Fulmen replied. He wasn't crouching for another charge at the moment. Once more, his refusal to follow up his attacks galled Luna. She did note, however, that his attacks were becoming more and more precise. The first one barely grazed her, the second struck her with a secondary bolt. A third one could very well be a direct hit. "You wouldn't know. Our fallen are what convinces us. We watched as the firstborn tore down the best among us and remade them in his image." The monotone wavered. "The very best the Herd has the offer…if they can fall, what hope do these fragile creatures have?" Fulmen turned his gaze on Luna. "You understand it better, don't you, lastborn? You know the unbreakable bond that ties those who have given themselves over to Oceanus. You know that there is no hope for the mortals here in this world. Thus the need to censure you and seal you away until Oceanus is defeated once and for all."

There was silence after that: a deathly silence that seemed to drown out even the distant sounds of battle that should be coming from Gravitas, Terrato and Black Rose. Luna could feel her sister's worried gaze on her; half afraid of whether it would affect her and half afraid that it might be true. This soldier…he had a lot of nerve to speak of it. He had a lot of nerve to even speak at all. "What do you know of me, tool?" she asked, her voice turning into a fierce hiss. "What does a glorified puppet who takes pride in being told what to do by others know of what I've done?"

Another bolt of lightning flew. The aim and timing was perfect. Its main body struck Luna and flung her across the ground. As electricity violently surged through her body, her healing magic surged back with equal ferocity. Flesh mended as quickly as it burned up and, when the lightning bolt had expended itself, Luna was standing upright and seemingly unharmed in the middle of a charred patch of ground. Sections of her barding had actually melted from the attack, but she didn't mind them, even if some of the silvery metal had started to fuse to her coat.

"Bold and reckless," Fulmen said. "Did I hit a nerve, lastborn? You think you can out-heal every attack I make and expect not to tire first?"

"I _hated_ my sister," Luna said. "I hated 'prima regia puella', 'Filia Solis', 'secondborn', 'eldest daughter', 'dearest sister'! Neither Oceanus nor Umbra forced me to feel that way. Don't talk to me about not being able to resist! I had every chance to refuse and I turned them all away!"

"Luna!" Celestia called out. "Don't let him bait you into head on combat! Play to your strengths!"

"And what do _you_ know of my strengths?" There was no flash or crackle as Luna worked on her next spell. Instead, tendrils of dark blue magic crept up and down her horn. Even from a distance and with his close-faced helm, she could sense the scorn coming from Fulmen. He recognized a phantasm spell and he was confident in his mind shielding. That much was obvious when he didn't charge to try and stop her.

Luna suddenly pointed her horn, not towards Fulmen, but towards her sister. Celestia's eyes widened in shock. "Luna, what-?" she gasped.

'I'm sorry, sister,' Luna thought. 'I cannot challenge his mind's shielding as it is, but I also don't need to look to know what he fears the most. I just need a memory to base the illusion on, it doesn't have to be his.'

The message was not telepathic, Luna couldn't afford to work on that spell in the midst of her illusion weaving. It was, however, emphatic, and the confirmation in Celestia's eyes told Luna that her sister trusted her intentions.

Illusion and Enchantment were traditionally compatible domains of magic. No proof of that was greater than the existence of phantasms, spells that cut into their subject's subconscious, exposed their darkest fears, and custom-crafted illusions out of them. But phantasms were limited by their specificity. A traditional phantasm crafted from Celestia's mind could only be seen by her. Everypony else would just see vague, hazy images. That was the line that Luna had to manipulate. She had a good idea of what that fear that her sister shared with this arrogant soldier. A phantasm would pull the image out, but she had to construct it through figments and glamers. Mixing and matching illusions at this critical moment was dangerous and, if she blew the spell up in front of Fulmen, she doubted she'd survive the humiliation even if she did live through the fight.

Fortunately and infuriatingly, Fulmen Lancea was still not attacking. Perhaps he was so confident in his defense that he waited for the chance to counter and further humiliate his opponent. Perhaps it was simply astonishing to see his opponents, supposed close sisters at that, suddenly turn on each other. He may even believe that Luna was doing this to curry favor from Gravitas and reduce her sentence. The exact reason didn't matter, only that he was going to regret it.

With an uncertain amount of time to work with, Luna could only hold her breath and try to be as careful as possible as she sifted carefully through her sister's mind. At her full strength, the shielding around Celestia's mind would have been nigh impenetrable. Luna could be violently ejected by her sister with an extra dose of smiting to discourage repeated attempts. That she was willing to go through with this with barely a flinch, even without that security, showed a trust that Luna was determined to prove well-founded. Even with the care she moved with, it didn't take long for her to find what she was looking for.

Luna had never seen Oceanus face to face. She had heard the tales. She had seen some of the damage from when he tore a trail across Empyrea and towards the Eternal Herd's Throne. She had heard him described many times and she had been in his presence. However, the very image of Oceanus had always eluded her. This wasn't true for her sister. Celestia had seen Oceanus, known him for a time. Likely known him better than anypony else.

Luna unleashed the next part of her spell. A globe of darkness descended once more. Not upon Fulmen, but upon her. Hidden temporarily, she began to garb herself. Her sister's memories of the firstborn were strong. That easily proved useful. She needed more than an image to form a powerful enough sight. She needed scents, sounds, tactile sensations, and specific actions. The abundance of these sensations quickly proved…frightening. The temptation to go through each incident tugged at her, but she vehemently rejected them. She had what she came for and it was only right to withdraw as soon as possible.

"That's enough paltry tricks," Luna heard Fulmen say outside the globe. The darkness around her scattered like smoke blown away by a gale. In a blink, Fulmen was already upon her, the tip of his spear a mere foot from her neck.

His reaction as soon as she noticed her form was one to relish for a while.

Fulmen Lancea halted in his tracks. The powerful surges of lightning crackling all around him disappeared. It wasn't just him, however. Celestia stared wide-eyed at Luna, her mouth agape. A burst of shadowy strands flew from Luna's horn, smothering Fulmen's spear like tar and pushing it, along with him, backwards. The shocked alicorn crashed to the ground, entangled with the same shadowy strands as earlier. His remedy was not at the tip of his horn, however.

**_"Insolent hoof-soldier, you will suffer for standing before me."_**

The voice was pitch perfect, harsh like a frigid wind, and controlled almost with an obsessive, exacting hold. Luna's own experiences made sure of that. She spoke with the firstborn's voice, and stared coldly with the firstborn's eyes. Oceanus never raised his voice, never hurried his step, and never showed a face that he didn't want you to see. _Perfect_, Celestia had seen him in the past. _Unfeeling_, Luna saw him. She doubted she would have gotten along at all with the firstborn if she had met him during his time in the Herd.

As for appearances, it was his silvery wings that she flapped and it was his shimmering mane of water that flowed all around her. There was no need to account for whatever form Oceanus now took while he resided in his realm of watery darkness. It was this form that ravaged the Eternal Herd during the First Rebellion. Every witness made it clear enough. It led Luna to a clearer understanding of what scared Gravitas and his ilk. 'This is the awful truth that the firstborn showed you, wasn't it?' she thought. 'The firstborn showed you that we're not as high and mighty that you and Gravitas so desperately wish we are! That's why you keep taking it out on the mortals. That's why you're so terrified of any advantage the firstborn might gain.'

Luna "unsheathed" a translucent, ice-blue blade, enjoying the sight of Fulmen quailing as she did so.

A cry from her sister brought her up short. Celestia was staring at the blade in frozen panic, clutching at her right eye as if she had been struck. The sight reminded Luna that this form was born of a shared fear between her sister and all of those who had met the firsborn personally. She focused on Fulmen's mind shield and saw that she had the effect she needed. Fulmen Lancea's will wavered. Without a strong will to support it, even the mightiest shield collapsed easily. Luna abandoned her illusory form and tore through the shielding. She didn't need her sister's dispelling finesse at this point. She tore through the shielding like a filly with a hearth's warming eve present, finally exposing the soft, vulnerable psyche hiding behind it.

The cry of panic from Fulmen signaled her victory. She breathed in the rush of triumph, savored it above everything else at the moment, and then plunged in with her most vicious, true phantasms. She had no compunction about looking this time. She had a good idea as to what she'd see, but she wanted to anyway. The sight of this brave soldier, so willing to exterminate others without hesitation, so arrogant in "executing" her, weeping in fear should be vindicating. She flooded his senses with illusion magic, plunging him deep into a darkness crafted only for him.

"These visions are false!" Fulmen shouted as defiantly as he could. The fear that gripped his voice choked the defiance out quickly. Luna paid no attention to his disbelief. Recognition alone did not always stop illusions, especially when the fear they evoked was carved so deeply into the mind and body. Out of the darkness, hundreds of hooves, mortal hooves began clinging to Fulmen. Tiny glowing eyes surrounded him like a sea of stars. He raised his hooves and tried to beat them back, but the morass of limbs and eyes clung to him tightly, ignoring his flailing spear and hooves. He fired a lightning bolt, but all that came out was a feeble spark that fizzled against the abyss all around him. "Stop these lies!" he shouted. "Lastborn, I know you're out there!"

_"There is nothing false about what you're seeing."_

It wasn't Luna who spoke. An alicorn stallion, one conjured by Fulmen's mind, emerged from the darkness. This one would have been around Celestia's height. He was muscular, but sleek. It was difficult to make out the color of his coat as he appeared to be spattered with black ink. His silver barding was rent in many places, some of the metal was barely hanging on to him. His mane came out as thick wisps of crimson vapor. One of his wings was a crumpled, mangled mess that hung limply by his side. He walked slowly towards Fulmen.

"Gladio Lupus," Fulmen said. To Luna it sounded almost like a whimper. She remembered his earlier words. "The best among us," he had said. Perhaps it was this pony he meant.

_"I thought I told you that I'm using a different name now,"_ was the reply. _"Abysso Spatiator. Use it or call me not at all."_

"Why are you here?" Fulmen asked.

_"You cannot stop this tide, Fulmen. Nothing can. It's just as he promised at that time. Those who will not kneel will be dragged down to the depths."_

The myriad of hooves and teeth clutching at Fulmen pulled harder, dragging him deeper into a now screeching and wailing mass of…things. Luna could see sharp teeth illuminated by the countless shining eyes. When he started to scream, she could only feel elated. This fight was over. At this point, she merely exacting some measure of revenge. "That's the problem with you earlier-cycle alicorns," she whispered. "You live through one ascension and you act like you've seen everything."

The blackness swallowed Fulmen completely, but his long, drawn-out scream still filled Luna's ears. "That's right!" she shouted back. "Fall into the abyss you're so scared of! Scream! Fall and-!"

"LUNA!"

The powerful voice, Celestia's version of the so-called "Royal Canterlot Voice", dispersed the darkness. The next thing Luna knew, she was back in Sky Mirror Lake. With a gasp, she pulled out of the last vestiges of the phantasm and looked around. In front of her was Fulmen Lancea, no longer a giant and curled into a shaking, screaming ball. Celestia stood across her, eyes narrow and angry. "Big sister-!" she started.

"Gratia in Victoria," Celestia said sternly. She looked at Fulmen and then back at her younger sister. Luna knew what had to be done. She raised her false regalia and slashed as hard as she could, all but severing Fulmen's head. A flash of light erupted from the fallen alicorn's eyes and mouth briefly.

"Paenitet…" Luna whispered. She stepped back and looked away from the body. The elation of beating Fulmen was gone. All that was left was the feeling of shame towards what she had been doing when she had him under her power. She couldn't even look her sister in the eye.

"It is not me you have harmed," Celestia said. "This is your victory you would have spoiled." Her voice softened as she went on. "You picked a clever way to defeat his mind shielding, little sister. And…thank you, for being careful."

A small smile creased Luna's lips. Before she could say anything else, however, she remembered that there was one more foe to take care of. She turned around and searched the skies around them. They had flown quite a distance from where they started fighting, but she should still catch a glimpse of her brother and his treacherous student.

The sky was perfectly clear and silent.


	53. The Sons of Dominus

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 53: The Sons of Dominus**

After Celestia had departed, the fight between Gravitas, Terrato, and Black Rose proceeded wordlessly. For Terrato, it was mostly because he didn't have anything else to say to Gravitas. It was also partly because he was far too busy fighting for his life.

There was nothing flashy about Gravitas's fighting style: nothing graceful, clever, or even thematic. He wielded his enormous weapon, a round pillar of white stone, ten feet in length and half a foot in diameter, with both brutal power and ruthless efficiency for the clear purpose of smashing his two opponents into bloody smears across it. His weapon, the famed Atrox, possessed a simple enchantment: it shattered protective barriers it struck, rendering nearly all magical protections useless. Like Celestia, Gravitas was a master abjurer and diviner, who favored using his spells purely for defensive purposes. He was covered in magical shields for both mind and body. He was also in a constant state of true sight, allowing him to pierce most illusions.

Gravitas also moved like an alicorn merely half his size, twisting in the air, lashing out with hooves when the fight got in close, and maneuvering the massive Atrox with ease. Terrato had to admire that simplicity. Gravitas specialized in fighting one way and forcing his enemies to fight his way.

Against this formidable array, Black Rose had very little to work with for an attack, even with Celestia's stolen power. She flew at a distance, knowing that all it would take was a single strike from Atrox to shatter most of her bones.

Terrato himself abandoned any magical shield he had. When Atrox swung at him in an overhead smash, he rammed his shoulder into the pillar. Instead of the crunch that came when flesh met stone, Atrox flew back at with the thud of hitting diamond-hard hide. As Terrato expected, Gravitas took this sudden resistance in stride. It was doubtful that this was the first time he was going to wield Atrox against a skilled transmuter.

Gravitas's answer to this defense proved simple enough. He swung harder. Atrox spun and dipped before smashing into Terrato's side. Herd-forged armor plates crumpled against the blow. While Terrato's reinforcement held true, the force hurled him through the air, nearly slamming him to the ground before he could recover and gain some lift. As he winged his way back up and into the fray, he could hear words being exchanged.

"This isn't what we agreed upon, Black Rose," Gravitas said. His voice was even, more stern disappointment than indignant fury. Even as he was talking, he closed the distance between the two of them. Terrato squinted and noticed a faint green sheen emanating from Gravitas. It was a dimensional lock and it was big enough to encompass Black Rose so long as Gravitas chased after her.

Despite being chased down, Black Rose's tone remained confident. "Certainly not, General. After all, I never agreed to anything. I said I was going to do something and that was it." She dipped a shoulder in time to narrowly avoid having her wings torn off by a swing from Atrox.

Gravitas was about to swing again Terrato gathered a small cloud of dirt from the surrounding air and sent it to swirl Gravitas him. His true sight useless against physical obscurement, Gravitas was forced to fall back. Black Rose quickly regained her distance. His "ally" safe, Terrato gathered the dirt into three dagger-shaped clumps, hardened them into diamond and stabbed. All three struck Gravitas's shield and bounced off.

'Sixth's bones, how strong are those shields?' Terrato surveyed his options. Even Celestia would have a difficult time breaking down Gravitas's abjuration work, he had no chance. Even with Celestia's stolen power, Black Rose would need a lot of time to figure out Gravitas's defenses, time that the alicorn general wasn't giving her. Overpowering them would be his best bet. Black Rose seemed to have come upon a similar conclusion. She was charging up a sunlight spear and waiting on him. A combined attack would stand a better chance of collapsing those shields.

Terrato had pondered it for a while now, but he still wasn't sure if he was impressed or insulted by Black Rose's use of his eldest sister's signature attack spell. Unlike the steady radiance of Celestia's version, Black Rose's sunlight spear crackled like a mixture of sunlight and lightning. Arcs of energy fluctuated dangerously, an outward sign of the dangerous dance Black Rose did along the edges of gathering as much power as possible and a fatal explosion. Her sunlight spear was imperfect, but he had to admit that its imperfection had its own beauty to it. He concentrated on his own spell. Now was no time to be distracted by his former student's accomplishments.

Gravitas was still a good distance from Terrato, well over a fifty feet. The dimensional lock emanating from him prevented any teleportation, including his, making it impossible to just appear next to him for an attack.

Terrato did so anyway.

He didn't need teleportation. All he needed was a page from Gravitas's strategy. Fifty, even a hundred, feet was nothing with enough power in one's flying ability. A couple of flaps from his magically strengthened wings brought him within inches of Gravitas. Atrox was too large and too far away to swing at him from this distance. His magically hardened hooves, were not. He slammed one Gravitas's face. The shield's resistance jarred him from hoof to shoulder despite the reinforcement, but the impact sent Gravitas flying towards Black Rose.

The sunlight spear connected with a brilliant flash. A second passed before Terrato noticed that the flash was too brilliant, even for a sunlight spear. It took a while before the dazzle disappeared from his vision. When it did, Gravitas was already charging him. Atrox swung again, even harder this time. When it struck what should have been flesh, however, all it encountered was a cloud of sand.

Terrato swirled around Gravitas, positioned above him and then reformed. His front hooves lashed out again, smashing Gravitas's –still protected- back. It was difficult to tell if he was making any progress with breaking them. Was he feeling less resistance, or was it all in his mind? Atrox struck again, only to pass through the same cloud of sand.

Terrato hardened the particles, turning them from mere sand into diamond dust. He spun into a whirlwind and engulfed Gravitas, slashing away from all directions.

"You've developed a lot of fancy tricks with the toys you have, Prince Terrato," Gravitas said. He hovered completely unharmed at the center of a whirling cloud of diamond dust. A burst of powerful dispelling magic erupted from him. The cloud coalesced into a single spot and Terrato was shunted back into his original form. All he had was a second to look up to find Atrox flying end-first towards his face. Dispelling, however, only forced him to revert to his original form. It did nothing to prevent him from him from shifting again. Though not enough for a full transformation, that moment was enough for Terrato to reinforce the bones and muscles that would meet the weapon. Atrox struck him full on, flinging him back. "You have the reflexes of a proper Herd warrior as well. How much stronger could you have been, I wonder, if you had spent your time wisely instead of catering to the whims of a deluded, doll-playing diplomat and a filth-covered filly who lifts her tail for the firstborn's tendrils?"

Terrato could still feel his head ringing when he recovered altitude and position. "I had thought you were above taunts, Gravitas," he said. "I suppose I shouldn't expect much from a pony who sends mortal assassins after his princess."

Before Gravitas could say anything in response, two sunlight spears struck him in succession. These ones were even bigger than the ones Terrato had seen Black Rose use before. He looked away from the flash, this time making sure that he wasn't even dazzled. Despite being a good distance away and his reinforced hide, the intense wave of heat that rolled from the explosions proved very uncomfortable for Terrato.

"Do remember that you have two opponents, General!" Black Rose called out. She pouted when the blast cleared, revealing Gravitas still unharmed. "I admit, even I'm becoming impressed now."

"We've wasted enough time," Gravitas said. His horn began to glow. It wasn't the flash that heralded a burst of magic, but the steadily increasing radiance of a building spell. Terrato could feel the very air around him ripple with abjuration magic. A glance towards Black Rose showed that she was feeling the same thing. For a single moment, he saw a hint of worry cross her face. It was gone so quickly that it seemed more a figment of his imagination.

Whatever concern he had for Black Rose's expression disappeared when Terrato felt a crushing weight fall on him. He flapped his wings hard, but even with reinforced wings, some invisible force dragged him inexorably from the sky. Out of the corner of his eye, she spotted Black Rose plummeting to the ground. A second later, he slammed into the snow-covered ground with enough force to send stones and earth flying everywhere. The impact knocked the breath out of him and banged his head so hard that stars burst in his vision. His teeth slammed into each other and his head rang as if it had a dozen giant bells lodged inside.

It wasn't just the impact that hurt. Even though he was already on the ground, Terrato was still being forced downward. It felt as if he had a mountain range sitting on his back while another one was tied under him. It was a battle just to draw breath. Standing up was impossible. He tried melding into the soil as he should be able to do easily, only to find that whatever was pushing down on him was also preventing him from casting anything. The steady flaps of Gravitas above him grew louder as the alicorn descended.

"Where will your stubborn pride lead you, Prince Terrato?" Gravitas asked. "You do not have what it takes to break my spell. Will you ask me to finish you off? Or will you stay silent and wait until you and your rebel student are crushed?"

'How about I beat this spell and crush you?' Terrato thought. He couldn't actually say the words with all the strain on him. He couldn't move an inch and he could feel some cracks starting to spread underneath him.

"Stubborn silence, I see," Gravitas said. "When you get back to the Eternal Herd, your highness, set aside some time to meet with me. Of the three of you, you are the one that can still be salvaged."

The weight was increasing. Terrato couldn't breathe. He willed his magic forth, but Gravitas's suppression proved too strong. He was going to have one embarrassing story to tell his sisters should they return to the Herd at some point if this continued.

A flash of familiar magic halted Terrato's thoughts: Necromancy. It was the one school of magic that he didn't encourage in Equestria beyond the simple process of using mana batteries. Even he didn't dare use more than the simplest spells most of the time. Necromancy was…a filthy sort of magic. Celestia never could abide by even the sight it. It was dangerous, it encouraged a reckless approach to acquiring magical power, and its failures were particularly virulent for both its caster the environment. He had no intention of allowing Necromancy to take deep roots in Equestria.

Black Rose, of course, was the exception.

It was Black Rose's Necromancy he felt right now. She had proven herself adept in wielding negative energy with that void knife. Her use and creation of mana batteries and stasis clones, as well as her successfully revival of her soul-trapped officers were all testaments to her mastery of life force manipulation. The Ascendancy Ritual itself was a highly-complicated necromantic feat, with many components gleaned from the Sixth Ascendant to the Throne's notes.

The flash of magic grew into a powerful explosion. Terrato could feel Gravitas's hold on him waver, enough for him to stand up through colossal effort. The break in Gravitas's abjuration begged the question: how was Black Rose doing this? He looked towards his former student and found his answer.

Several enormous mana batteries floated around Black Rose, enough to blow up all of Canterlot and everything in a two mile radius around it. No naturally occurring mana crystal could be as big as these.

_"My prince…"_

Black Rose's mental voice was strained and difficult to make out. That she could even get a spell out despite Gravitas's suppression proved just how powerful a boost she was getting from those mana batteries. 'Black Rose,' he thought. 'Just how many ponies did you harvest to create those?'

_'Five hundred spread evenly into four batteries, gathered since I first conceived this plan. A necessary step as the general is proving at the moment.'_

Five hundred sacrifices. Terrato reeled trying to imagine his former student harvesting five hundred ponies over the years. He thought he understood the sort of monster his indulgence created. How naïve.

_"Beloved, listen. I can dispel his hold for a short time at the cost of all this power. It falls to you to finish him off. Will you really let the deaths of five hundred ponies go to waste?"_

'You're the one about to waste them. The two of us working together couldn't put a dent in his defenses, Black Rose, what sort of finishing blow are you talking about?'

_"Gravitas may have picked his battles poorly, but he's right about one thing. You do have a stubborn pride. Are you going to keep this charade up until you are destroyed and Equestria is left at the mercy of Gravitas or Oceanus? Sky Mirror Lake is a gigantic pool of grudge, a pretty veneer to cover the rage of thousands of drowned ponies condemned by the mare they thought was their great leader. Gravitas doesn't even realize it, but he is in necromancer territory. This fight was over the moment he decided to choose this place as his battleground. All you need to do is to stop pretending."_

Terrato looked at Black Rose. Great arcs of energy flowed from the four mana batteries towards her. Ever the gambler, she was making her move without consulting him if he was ready. Already, Gravitas was sensing the building energy. His suppression magic increased, but Black Rose still held on. Any hesitation on Terrato's part now would doom both of them to defeat. 'No!' part of him shouted. 'I will not use that grudge! I will not survive this fight by relying on the remnants of Oceanus's miserable cult!'

A second line of thought, calmer and more pragmatic, answered. 'Gravitas is too strong. I cannot beat him in single combat. Black Rose is using her emergency plan. If this passes me by, Gravitas will not let another chance appear.'

A powerful burst of dispelling exploded from Black Rose. All four mana batteries turned gray and shattered into fine dust. The suppression magic lifted and Terrato felt his magic come on command. Above him, Gravitas reeled from having been forced back momentarily. There were only seconds between this dispelling and Gravitas renewing his attack. Terrato grit his teeth and began.

Gravitas had recovered and was about to cast his suppression when a shadow covered him completely. Terrato raised his gigantic foreleg and smashed several hundred pounds of reinforced muscle and bone into his foe. Gravitas's shields held true, but the impact sent him soaring into the walls he had erected around Sky Mirror Lake, smashing him through them as if they were made of twigs and leaves. He emerged from the other side and continued to hurtle through the air until he reached the lake.

Terrato didn't need to fly over. He shifted his form back to normal size and waited. Black Rose's teleportation spell carried both of them instantly to where Gravitas had righted himself. Black Rose didn't say a word to him in that instant between moving from one place to another, but he felt her message well enough.

_"Are you ready?"_

When he emerged above the very center of Sky Mirror Lake, his answer was still no.

It was just as he and his sisters had feared. As the centuries passed, the seals left by Lexarius allowed magical power from the Old Kingdom's capital to slowly leak out. Apparently, Chrysalis and her changelings had done their best to conceal this. It wasn't too difficult. He and his sisters had been too confident in Lexarius's work. Being this close, however, there was no hiding it from him now. The grudge from all those who drowned in the Old Kingdom had pooled within Sky Mirror Lake. A necromancer of sufficient skill and power could use it to flood nearly all of the Heartland in death and decay. One who wasn't would be consumed. It was clear that even Black Rose didn't dare. This pool of raging grudge would swallow her whole and spit her out as a necrotic abomination for her trouble. Skilled as she was, this was her limit.

Not so for Terrato.

A long, long time ago, when he was still an idiotic colt eager to make a name for himself within the Eternal Herd beyond "thirdborn" or "Celestia's little brother", he had delved into the art of Necromancy as deeply as he could.

_"His majesty named you well, your highness. As the soil in the mortal world absorbs the dead and nourishes the living, so do you easily wield the forces of life and death. I cannot help you. Already, you are a better necromancer than I ever hope to be."_

Learning that Animus Arcem had little to teach him, as did most alicorns, only made Terrato more enthusiastic. The gift for this school was a rare thing, even within the Eternal Herd.

Terrato's time in this world, however, showed a different side to this talent. It wasn't merely Celestia's disapproval that curbed his enthusiasm or the progress that ponies from the Old Kingdom had done with it. He had taught the art to his student, then turned to it when so desperately wanted to "keep" her. The results haunted him to this very instant. If that wasn't enough, and it was more than that, there was only one other pony within the Herd who had that this potential since the Sixth Ascendant to the Throne.

Terrato weaved the grudge into his magic. The rush of power nearly drove him off-balance. It was so easy to lose control. The grudge had a near-sentience of its own, a will to inflict its agonized existence on everything. He could use this on Wolvengard. Forget the pact. Fenrir would be expecting the Legion. He wouldn't be expecting a wave of foulness to decimate his land. By the time he would realize something was wrong, his own subjects would be gnawing on him. And when Wolvengard was a barren, frozen wasteland, Ursinium would be attacked by a horde of undead wolvens. After that, Ophidus would drown in a tide of undead wolven and ursans. Equestria would be free of enemies.

And surrounded by foulness: a barren wasteland to the north, dark foreboding mountains to the west, and a fetid jungle to the south. All infested by undeath, corruption, and grudge. Necromancy wouldn't make things better. It would just make them worse. No, this grudge had to stay here.

When Gravitas saw where they were, his eyes already showed that he had just understood what was about to happen. "You wouldn't," he said. "You are brash, stubborn, and arrogant, but this wretched, foalish deed is beyond even you!"

"You have no idea how right you are," Terrato growled. His horn started to glow. Gravitas lashed out with both dispelling and suppressive magic. He could feel both trying to disrupt his spell, but, this time, he was able to shove them aside. "You're going to suffer for pushing me to this, Gravitas."

Black, smoky wisps, the long-hidden grudge within the lake made manifest by Terrato's necromancy, began to rise from the lake. Gravitas found himself surrounded. For the first time since the fight started, Terrato saw the other alicorn's faith in his shields waver.

Now that he had all this power to unleash, the options began to emerge. What did a stubborn, genocidal wretch like Gravitas deserve. A horrible, crippling curse? A vile, rotting disease? Perhaps he should be chopped apart and sewn together with other body parts, then made to serve. He shook his head and concentrated. This shouldn't be something he should even be bothering with! The grudge was imposing itself, picking out some cruel way to be used when all he needed was to neutralize Gravitas as a threat. He had to pick something simple. A death spell would do. Snuff out Gravitas's life here and be done with it. Black Rose would prefer a more permanent end, but this had to suffice.

The wisps gathered into a more solid ring of blackness around Gravitas, closing in on him like a great choking claw. Terrato felt his spell grind to a halt, however, just as he was about to finish it. The circle of darkness trembled against Gravitas's powerful shields. "Insolent colt, it is no secret to the Herd that both sons of Sanctus Dominus possess necromantic gifts not seen since the Sixth Ascendant to the Throne! Did you think I would not have defenses?"

The struggle left Terrato sweating despite the cold around him. For what felt like such a long time, he smiled fiercely. It's been a while since he had this kind of struggle. No pact, no having to rely on mortals, no little ponies to scare. "And what kind of defenses are they, Gravitas?" he roared. "A death ward? A magic circle? I'm going to rip your shields apart like paper and see if your soul's just as fragile!"

More darkness gathered. The ring turned into a jagged, roiling circle of foulness. Terrato could hear agonized whispers and smell the putrid odor of stagnant water and rotting corpses. There was no mistaking it this time. He could feel Gravitas's once-unbending- will waver, and the cracks around his shields beginning to spread. This struggle wasn't going to last much longer.

Terrato glanced towards Black Rose to make sure that the mare wasn't up to any tricks while he was locked in combat with Gravitas. She had raised her own wards against the howling mass of grudge building around them. All the grudge within the lake had stirred up a veritable whirlwind of blackness above it. He also saw…something, fly from past the wall, where his siblings should be fighting, and fall into the water. He had a good idea what it was and he dreaded having to fish it out later.

Gravitas's resistance pushed back against the ring. Terrato pushed out the distractions and concentrated on crushing his enemy. If this attack failed, Gravitas would not be caught in such a situation again. He had to be defeated here and now.

"In the end, it is just as I had feared, isn't it?" Gravitas grunted. Terrato could barely hear him amidst the angry whispers. "Dominus's daughters are weaklings and his sons are monsters."

"It's amazing how you can insult me, my sisters, and my father with a mere sentence," Terrato said. The ring drew closer. He could already feel Gravitas's fragile life underneath all that stubborn defensive spells. "When I send you back to the Herd, you can tell his majesty all about how low you think of his children."

"So is it a matter of my low thinking?" Gravitas asked. "Look at what you're doing, Prince Terrato! Look at the powers you wield and the company that you keep! Look beneath us and tell me to my face that your aims are noble!"

"No," Terrato said. The circle of blackness drew closer. He felt like he was attending a hanging, with the noose taking far too long in drawing tight. He felt something fly out of the water, some dark thing covered in grudge. It flew towards the wall and towards his sisters. Yet one more thing to take care, he surmised. He had to deal with this first. "I am so tired of explaining myself, Gravitas. Everypony disapproves, has a better idea, or a different vision of what Equestria is or isn't. And I get all of that from the ponies I've aligned myself with. I don't need more from you."

The circle closed in. Terrato felt Gravitas's shields shatter like an egg crushed beneath his hoof. At this point, he didn't need Celestia's dispelling skill to destroy what remained of Gravitas's abjurations. He got something close anyway. As soon as he shattered those protections, Black Rose dove in, systematically removing every bit of protection. With Celestia's magical power, it would have been foalsplay for her.

Terrato moved in swiftly as well. He knew that Black Rose considered Gravitas a problem. That was as much of a goal they shared. Anything else, he had to oppose her. "Stand aside, Black Rose!" he said.

"My apologies, beloved, but I will not be satisfied with simply sending Gravitas back to the Eternal Herd." Black Rose unleashed her magic. A crackling aura of both black and golden magical energy surrounded her.

"And the mortals show their true colors yet again!" Gravitas said.

"Be silent!"

For all the time he had known her, Terrato could recall very few times Black Rose had ever shown any anger and those were the times when she was much younger. To see that serene, confident expression on her face replaced for an instant by a flash of anger made something inside him jump. The instant was gone as quickly as it had arrived. Black Rose looked almost embarrassed for allowing herself to lose control in front of him.

"I wish we could continue striving for the same goal, but we part ways here yet again." Black Rose looked to Gravitas, whom she had trapped in a powerful force barrier. "You don't deserve the mercy of simply being censured and I certainly don't relish the thought of spending any time in the Herd with the likes of you." Arcs of magic crackled around the barrier enclosing Gravitas: teleportation magic.

Terrato could scarcely hear Black Rose. The whispers that swirled around them were getting louder and more persistent. Wielding so much grudge after spending so long in avoiding this magnitude of Necromancy was starting to take its toll. He had to let go soon. He just needed to accomplish a few more things; starting with his treacherous former student.

The first lance of blackness shot out of the whirling grudge behind and below Black Rose. It moved faster than a shot bolt. It punctured her shields as a spear would cardboard and was aimed for her torso. She spun in mid-air in a quick flutter of wings, but the strike still grazed her. There was no physical wound, though. Wisps of golden light also seeped out of the gash across one of Black Rose's wings. Small bits of Celestia's power were already making their way back to their rightful owner. Without a direct transfer, it would take some time, but his sister would regain her strength at last.

They had only a moment to consider anything at all. Terrato had a second void strike fly from above and in front of Black Rose. This one hit the mark, piercing her shields and her chest. A torrent of sunlight, a golden beacon amidst the swirling blackness, poured from Black Rose's chest. She placed a hoof over the wound in some futile attempt to stem the flow of power.

"You must have known I'd get you as well if you maneuvered me to such a place of power," Terrato said. "Why did you go to these lengths, Black Rose? What have you planned?"

Despite her wound, Black Rose smiled. "Why don't you start by listening beneath you, beloved? Can you hear it? It's the Old Kingdom coming to life in anticipation of its master."

"Oceanus isn't here!" Terrato growled. He readied another spell, but part of him was loathe to attack now and prevent her from explaining anything more.

Black Rose breathed heavily as she spoke. "He doesn't have to be. You've underestimated the loyalty that the firstborn has inspired among those who follow him. Even though it was flooded and sealed, even with the failure of the Six Companions, the Old Kingdom still awaits Oceanus faithfully. All I needed was to give it a sign. It was either one of Oceanus's prime servants or a facsimile: a ruse good enough to convince it that its master has arrived. If Oceanus is not here, then the other son of Sanctus Dominus, wreathed in dark power and commanding ages-old grudge would suffice."

Terrato, still wielding Sky Mirror Lake's grudge, realized that it wasn't a matter of being led into a trap, but being forced into one. Black Rose had played him and Gravitas against each other. He could indeed feel something else stirring within Sky Mirror Lake, something more than this whirlwind of grudge he was at the center of. The whispers turned into a deeper, more audible chant. He didn't understand the exact words, but he knew what they were saying.

**"Deep Father…Deep Father…Deep Father…"**

'Wretched things!' Terrato thought. 'Can't you even tell the difference between your Deep Father and some other alicorn?' The answer, of course, was already clear to him. The wretched remnants of the Old Kingdom's fanatics had never even met Oceanus. They were guided by instinct, like blind, starving animals. He had a passing semblance and, after centuries of waiting, that was enough for them rise up.

The water of Sky Mirror Lake suddenly rose up, covering them in a dome of reflective water. As the last of Celestia's power of sunlight leaked from her, Black Rose's smile only widened. "Let Celestia keep her power," she said. "I've observed her enough these days and I believe she may yet have what it takes to keep Equestria safe. Let her keep the Elements of Harmony and Oceanus's servant."

Terrato's eyes widened. Regia Carnifex, the Elements of Harmony, her direct request, Clover the Clever's methods. All ruses. To confirm his thoughts, her gaze focused on him. "I placed my bet on the last pony the Defender of Equestria expected to defend: himself!"

Terrato let go of the grudge. He had to. His mind focused on a teleportation spell, but whatever magic flowed in within the waters also cut him off from the rest of the world. The waters rose and swirled as the last vestiges of Lexarius's weakened seals crumbled.

"Don't worry, beloved. We'll wait for them at the heart of the Old Kingdom. There, we will secure the future of Equestria together."

The wall of water crashed against Terrato. He beat his wings and flailed his hooves, but the unrelenting, liquid darkness dragged him deeper and deeper into the depths.


	54. Aftermath

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 54: Aftermath**

At the sight of the empty sky, Luna's thoughts dashed off into different directions all at once. Where was Terrato? What had happened? Who was responsible? Why didn't she notice anything suspicious? **Where was Terrato?** Something had to be done, but all four of her legs were going their separate ways while her wings had plans of their own. She looked around again. Perhaps her sister or one of the bearers had an idea. Maybe she just missed where Terrato was.

Underneath all that panic was the inexorable tug of exhaustion, patiently reminding her despite all her confused reflexes that rest was first and foremost. Luna struggled for control, trying desperately to piece together some coherent plan for their next step. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony were now limping towards her and her sister. They must have noticed Terrato's absence by now and would want to know what to do next.

"Luna…" Celestia put a hoof on Luna's shoulder. The warmth in her hoof and the calm in her voice helped settle some of the anxiety.

"Big sister-!" Before Luna could say anything more, the sight of the faint golden aura around Celestia left her staring in wonder. "What's happening?" she asked.

"The power of sunlight is slowly making its way back to me," Celestia said.

Luna let herself feel some small measure of relief. Well, that was to be expected. Terrato promised to find a way to restore their sister's power and he did just that. But, more importantly, that opened a new avenue of action for them. "Big sister, can you locate big brother?" she asked.

Celestia shook her head. "Not yet," she said. "Without a direct transfer, it will take a while for me to regain all my power." She looked towards Sky Mirror Lake. "I do not think we need to search far, though."

Luna nodded. It did seem the most likely. Perhaps Black Rose fled to the Old Kingdom after losing the power of sunlight. Perhaps she went there on her own volition, having decided to push through with her plan. Once Celestia recovered enough, they'd be surer of what happened and what needs to happen next. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony finally got close enough to them. Twilight Sparkle galloped at the head of the group.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight exclaimed. "Your wing! Are you alright?"

"A small injury," Celestia said. She winced after failing to either fully stretch her wing or fold it. She smiled and looked to Twilight and her friends. "I'm glad to see that all of you survived." Her smile disappeared when she laid her eyes on Fluttershy, whom Applejack was carrying on her back.

Luna looked all of them over, already going through the sort of healing she'd have to use. Her sister's wing had to be fixed and she had not come out of the fighting unscathed. All the bearers were covered in small cuts and scrapes from flying stone shards. Rarity limped on a bad foreleg covered in blood-soaked bandages. Some blood oozed down Rainbow Dash's face. Applejack's barding had saved her from the worst of things, but she was still quite scraped up, as if she had been dragged around in the dirt. While it was Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie who looked the least hurt among them, their wounds, all in all, were not as bad as they should be after fighting a soldier of the Herd. Luna could sense some trace amounts of healing magic around them. She glanced at her sister's student. Twilight Sparkle had, at least, taken some time to learn some basic healing. Obviously, those spells took a backseat to direct magical attacks and shields.

Fluttershy was a different story. It was her eye. The rest of her body didn't bear so much as a scratch, but her right eye was a bloody ruin. She glanced at Twilight, who shook her head. "I'm sorry," Twilight said. "I tried as much healing as I could, but…it's like the wound is resisting my magic! Can you do something about it, your highness?"

Luna concentrated on the wound. She was all too familiar with foul, blackened magic that infested it. Her healing magic seeped into the damage flesh only to be repelled. She was about to try again, but her flagging strength made her hesitate. "I cannot heal the wound," she said. The rest of the bearers looked shocked.

"B-but healing is one of your specialties!" Twilight said. "If you can't heal her-!"

"This is the firstborn's power of the abyss here!" Luna said. "Even if I was at full strength, I can't just wave a hoof and defeat him at every turn!" Her eyes narrowed as she speculated. "Perhaps I can with more preparations: a powerful healing array, a group of participants, a ritual of an hour or more. If we can take her back to Canterlot and focus on her…"

Celestia shook her head. "None of us have the strength for another teleportation like that. Nor do we have a lot of time to spare." She looked towards Sky Mirror Lake. "We cannot simply abandon this place after all that's happened."

"We can't just leave her like this!" Twilight asked. "You just said that this is Oceanus's power of the abyss!"

"Yes…yes, you can…"

Everypony turned towards the weak, desperately mustered voice. From Applejack's back, Fluttershy had raised her head and looked towards them.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight raced towards her badly injured friend. The others followed suit.

"We can't turn back now," Fluttershy said. She tried to get off Applejack's back, but the others stopped her. "Something terrible is happening inside the Old Kingdom. We need to go there…we need to-!"

"But your eye, dear," Rarity said. "Surely, you can't expect us to just ignore that bloody mess and trudge onward!"

Fluttershy's voice dropped to a hiss so suddenly that Luna feared the worst: some kind of horrible possession by one of Oceanus's handmaidens, the corruption of whatever spark of Oceanus within Fluttershy, or Oceanus himself. "Stop fussing!" Fluttershy said. "I still have one that works! I just need some rest so I can walk. Don't turn me into the reason why we failed!"

It looked as if the air had just been knocked out of all of Fluttershy's friends at this. They stared at her, eyes wide and confused. Rarity's lips quivered a bit, obviously hurt at the sudden lashing from the pony she would have least expected it from. Twilight had cast a simple divination spell, likely trying to check what else was wrong.

"Okey dokey lokey!"

Pinkie Pie's voice cut through the tension with ease. Luna looked at her, afraid to find some uncomprehending grin that would only prove that Pinkie didn't belong here. There was a grin there, but, to her glad surprise, it wasn't one grounded in ignorance. Pinkie Pie's smile was deliberate; more will than emotion. She did understand what was going on; she just decided to approach it this way.

Fluttershy responded with a smile of her own. Her shoulders relaxed and she stopped trying to get off Applejack. "Thank you," she said. Her voice was soft and gentle once more.

"I don't think I have an eye-patch cache here," Pinkie Pie said. "We'll just have to think of some other way!"

"Gather around, everypony," Luna said. She raised her horn, slowly weaving a healing spell together from what strength she still had left. Now, she was regretting pushing so much healing against Fulmen Lancea's lightning bolt. Her magic set to work: broken bones began to slowly mend, scrapes and cuts closed up, and bruises faded. Once she was done, she let out a long exhale and fell on her knees.

"You've done well, little sister," Celestia said. She knelt next to Luna and draped a wing over her. The warmth of sunlight felt good, especially with the cold ground and air. "Rest now.'

"But big brother is…he-!"

"Terrato is strong; stronger than I have ever given him credit for. He can hold on for some time. We must be at our best to help him."

Luna let the words placate her. Her heart was still beating furiously and she had to quash a strong desire to dive into the lake, but Celestia was right. The others had realized the same and had huddled together. They had a fire going in a short while and rations were quickly consumed. There was a palpable sense of urgency around them. Luna doubted that they had ever needed to put so much effort in resting.

Around an hour of silent effort passed before somepony decided to speak up again. "So what exactly are we going to do next?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Our destination lies within the Old Kingdom," Celestia said. Her horn was glowing now. As time wore on, the more obvious the return of her power was becoming. It hadn't taken long before she started working on a locating spell. "I can sense a great amount of disturbed necromantic energy within the lake. Terrato must have disturbed it in an effort to defeat Gravitas. As for the Old Kingdom, it is humming with activity. I am not yet sure how, but such an event cannot be good. Nor do I believe that it will contain itself here."

"And the seals?" Luna asked. "What of Lexarius's seals?"

Celestia's spell grew stronger until the tip of her horn far outshone their meager fire.

"Princess Celestia, be careful!" Twilight said.

"The seals have been broken," Celestia said.

"What?" Luna jumped to her hooves. "How? The Elements of Harmony are with us, as is Regia Carnifex!"

Celestia closed her eyes for a while. The light from her horn fluctuated as she expanded her divinations. When they fluttered open, Luna knew that a realization just hit her. "Something has shattered the weakened seals from the inside. Whatever dormant power that was lying within the Old Kingdom was somehow awakened. I-I…I fear…"

Celestia faltered and it was Luna's turn to put a hoof on her shoulder. "Big sister?"

"Black Rose has made a scarecrow of our brother. There is a great amount of disturbed grudge within the lake. She must have tricked him into wielding all that necromantic power within the lake in order to dress him up like Oceanus. The Old Kingdom, having never met Oceanus, responded as if the firstborn really has arrived. All that movement from within was enough to destroy the seals."

"Where is big brother now?" Luna asked. "Can you locate him?"

The light from Celestia's horn fluctuated even more. A bead of sweat dripped from her brow before she relaxed. "The inside of the Old Kingdom is murky with Oceanus's power of abyss. My locating spells can barely function within. I know he's deep in there, that's it."

Luna let out a sigh. "Then we'll just have to search for him on hoof." She paused, her ears perking, when she heard the very distant sound of an engine.

"Over there!" Pinkie yelled. She pointed at the distance, towards a small speck against the gray clouds that was coming towards them.

Applejack squinted at the sight. "What is it?" she asked.

"Airship," Luna said. "A small, fast one."

Celestia smiled and looked at the approaching airship as well. "The Legion," she said. "They do work fast. We can expect more soon enough."

As the first airship came even closer, Applejack's expression brightened just a little more. "That's the Night Skimmer," she said. Even Twilight managed to sneak in some elation amidst her worried staring at Celestia.

"Hold your horses, girls," Rarity said. "The Night Skimmer isn't Captain Clash's personal ride. I suspect it will carry a large number of Special Operations ponies…among other things."

"Captain Nightcanter's going to be there!" Pinkie said.

Twilight's brief elation turned into disgust. "Probably Captain Bad Arc too…" she muttered.

Fluttershy looked apprehensive as well. She didn't say a word, but she looked at the approaching airship with her one good eye intensely.

After several minutes, it was indeed the Night Skimmer that landed next to them. The above decks burst into activity as soon as the airship touched the ground. The pegasi among them flew out and knelt before the princesses. The frown on Twilight's face deepened when Captain Bad Arc was indeed among those who had come. Luna recognized most of these ponies, having worked with them back in Canterlot.

"Your highness," Captain Bad Arc said. He directed his attention towards Celestia. "The Legion stands ready to serve."

Captain Dawn Blaze , an orange mare in nightsteel chain, stepped forward and open a small bag. Luna looked inside and found small glinting objects, like crystallized berries, inside. "Mana batteries," she said.

"Yes, your highness," Dawn Blaze replied. "To help you recover quickly."

Celestia hesitated at the sight of the mana batteries. She looked towards the lake again, her expression hardening. A couple floated in front of her and turned into dull grey things. "Take the rest, Luna," she said. "Of all of us, you expended the most."

Luna emptied the bag and let the stored mana flow into her. She didn't particularly like relying on objects formed by the accumulated deaths of magical creatures, but each problem she had to deal with in Sky Mirror Lake added more and more to the unlikeable things she was willing to do. She surveyed the ponies kneeling before her. There were the ones from the Northern Legion, the ones that the bearers of the Elements of Harmony recognized: Bad Arc's First Squad, Nightcanter's Sixth Squad, and Vanguard Clash's Third Squad. Well, half of Third Squad anyway. The Western Legion had Dawn Blaze's First Squad and Oakheart's Eighth Squad. As for the Southern Legion, Scalecrush's Ninth Squad and Vine Mane's Second Squad were ready to serve. "Legion!" she said. Every legionnaire around her snapped to attention. "We're going to enter the Old Kingdom. Special Operations has had plenty of time to study Lexarius's notes on how to remove the flooding. I expect all of you to know what to do."

"Yes, your highness!" was the unanimous reply. Special Operations divided into separate squads and moved into position.

Lexarius had created a way to drain the lake if it was necessary, though he made it clear that only the water would go. The taint would still linger, like a foul air and presence, but the Old Kingdom's ruins could be accessed if the seals were removed. Lexarius also made it clear that he didn't see why such a scenario would ever occur. Activating these devices, however, required some coordination. Each component was found in a different location around the lake. It would take some time for the Legion to activate them.

"I'll help!" Applejack said. "I feel fine already!" Twilight also looked ready to go.

Luna opened her mouth to say no, but Vanguard Clash was already ahead of her. "Stand down, you two," he said. "There will be plenty for you to do later."

Even as the Special Operations ponies were still departing, Luna had already focused on another pony who had just emerged from the Night Skimmer. Unlike his sister, who exuded smiling confidence in all things, Blue Moon was all quiet dignity. The suspicious stares he received seemed to bounce of him as he made his way towards the group.

"Blue Moon," Celestia said. "Why have you come to this place?"

"I'm here to warn you, your highness," Blue Moon said. "The rest of the Thorns have disappeared from Canterlot. I'm sure that my sister has summoned them to her side once she got through the seals. Should you enter the Old Kingdom, expect some meddling on their part.

The excitement on Pinkie's face faded. So did Rainbow Dash's enthusiasm. On the other hoof, Rarity's face lit up with anticipation. Her eyes went to her mage-blades. Luna looked them over sternly. "I see that some of you have started developing some history with Black Rose's Thorns," she said. "Let me remind you that they won't be the only dangers we will find within the Old Kingdom. Most likely, they won't even be the worst."

Twilight kept her gaze fixed on Blue Moon. "Are _you_ coming along?" she asked.

"I would, Twilight Sparkle, if any of you would trust me enough to be among you on the way to a confrontation with my sister."

Though she still looked at Blue Moon suspiciously, Twilight fell silent after that. In return, Blue Moon largely ignored her and walked over to Fluttershy. The sight of her still bloody eye did not even give him pause. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

"Good," Fluttershy said with a smile. "Better actually! An alicorn tried to hurt my friends…" Her tone softened and the smile turned somber. "I think he was sorry at the end."

"There's more to this change than just your ability to fight, Fluttershy," Blue Moon said. "Has anything come out of your visit with Regia Carnifex?"

Fluttershy pressed a hoof softly against her wounded eye and winced. "That…that other me…she escaped. I think."

"Other you?" Blue Moon knelt next to Fluttershy. "What do you mean?"

Fluttershy was silent for a while. "I don't really know," she said. "She said she was Lok'horus, but I don't believe her. She warned me that something bad was going to happen if I let her go. I did, but nothing's happened. Well, besides the Stare, I mean."

"I think something else has happened," Blue Moon said. "As you have noticed, it is difficult to put a hoof on. There is more to you that has become different, Fluttershy, more than just a ruined eye and a stronger ability."

"I have to say I agree, dear," Rarity said. "Not just because of your outburst earlier, either.

At this, Luna expected Fluttershy to cringe or fall into depression. To her surprise, neither happened. Fluttershy seemed contemplative for a moment, taking in what Blue Moon just said and mulling it over. Blue Moon, for his part, pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to Fluttershy. When she nodded, he carefully tied it over the wounded eye, covering nearly half her face with white cloth.

There was only more waiting after that. Each of them understood that they would have as much rest as the time it took for Special Operations to open the way to the Old Kingdom: a restless Rainbow Dash had taken to circling them lazily. Rarity cleaned her blades and seemed to be experimenting not just with practice moves but with how she gripped them telekinetically. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack stared across the landscape and watched where the legionnaires had gone. Pinkie Pie fiddled with her stone tablet while Fluttershy lay down quietly. After about an hour, they spotted more silhouettes approaching Sky Mirror Lake from the skies. These airships were bigger and slower, likely containing the bulk of the Legion assigned to the Heartland. Soon, they would be at the center of a large scale operation.

Another hour passed as the rest of the Legion began setting up around them. "Blue Moon, I have been meaning to ask you something," Celestia suddenly said.

Blue Moon was quick to bow towards Celestia. "Yes, your highness?" he asked.

"Tell me more about your sister."

"There are many books and reports that deal with Black Rose's exploits and history, your highness," Blue Moon replied. "Various libraries in the Great Delve have wings dedicated to her time in the Legion."

"Yet none are about her time outside it, I would guess," Celestia said. "I have seen the Black Rose the rebellious student and I've heard plenty about Black Rose the legionnaire. Tell me about her time before she met my brother."

"Those were…" Blue Moon paused. That quiet, dignified look he constantly had on finally cracked. A wistful smile warred with the rest of his face just to stay on. "Those were difficult times, your highness, difficult and so very long ago."

Celestia didn't say anything, but she kept her gaze on him attentively. Upon hearing the conversation, Twilight Sparkle also listened intently.

"My sister and I were born Great Delve nobles," Blue Moon said. "At least, my sister has always maintained that. My earliest memories involve digging through garbage. Whatever happened to take away our fortune also left us orphaned at a very young age." His voice lowered to soft rumble. "The Delve does not take kindly to those like us who fall between through the cracks."

"You don't seem particularly bothered talking about desperate times," Twilight remarked.

"I would eat out of a garbage pile right now if I could go back to those times, Twilight Sparkle," Blue Moon said sharply. "There is a sense contentment to be had in enjoying a leather sole deep fried in week-old vegetable oil with a couple of garlic cloves and some mushroom caps, all seasoned with a stolen packet of soy sauce, contentment that I cannot recreate with all the magic and skills and I have learned since then." Blue Moon was silent for a while. He had just described a meal salvaged from a dumpster as if it was a gourmet course. To him, it was probably even better. Luna could understand in some ways. She had spent more than a few nights thinking back to simpler times. "The scavenging and petty theft didn't last that long," Blue Moon continued. "While running from a mark, my sister stumbled inside a gambling den." Blue Moon snorted, his smile widening. "Money became easy soon after."

"What happened since then?" Celestia asked.

"The Legion called, as it always did every year. My sister answered as soon as she was of age. I tried to dissuade her. We had money and influence. We held no sway over any of the Underbelly gangs, but we could get anything we needed to stay comfortable." Blue Moon let out a sigh. "Ultimately, it was the both of us lining up in a recruitment post. I should have known better to have even bothered back then. Black Rose enjoyed matching her wits against the ravages of poverty, but she had higher goals in mind. Like anypony without a strong backing, we started small: peeling potatoes, polishing armor, and the like. That didn't last long either. My sister was nothing if not opportunistic. She picked our times to shine and we did. Only a few years in and we were trusted with front line missions." The smile disappeared. "Then, the call from the Prince came…"

"What's the matter?" Luna asked. "That was the true beginning of her rise, wasn't it? You sound like it was a tragedy."

"It was both," Blue Moon said. All traces of a smile had gone from him now. "Do not misunderstand me. I was, and still very much am, proud of my sister's accomplishments. She emerged triumphant after tests that whittled two thousand elite applicants into one faithful student. When the prince himself put a hoof on her shoulder, it was as if the entire world finally aligned into its rightful place." Blue Moon stood up and faced the lake's placid waters. "Vision is both my sister's gift and curse. Her schemes broaden her horizons, broader horizons allow for greater schemes. She will never be satisfied until the Throne is beneath her."

"Is that right?" Celestia asked.

A slight tremble came upon Blue Moon's voice. "Highness?" he asked.

"The Throne will not satisfy," A look of sadness crossed Celestia's face. "Just as the power of sunlight couldn't. Just as the Foul Weapon won't. But Black Rose is no foal. I think she understands that already."

Before anypony could speak up, all of them heard a rumbling beneath the ground that steadily increased in volume. Luna knew the signs; Special Operations just finished activating the devices. Already, she could see the water begin to recede.

"Finally!" Rainbow Dash brought her front hooves together. The rumbling increased and a loud rushing sound of water escaping accompanied it. All of them moved closer to the edges of the lake and looked down.

Even with the water gone, it was still difficult to get a good view of the Old Kingdom. Something permeated the air like black fog. Unlike Luna's darkness spells, it still allowed them to see the broken towers and gates.

The Old Kingdom was a massive, circular ruin, all gray stone and black metal. Great rounded spires rose all around and within, tapering to points. The stone work was bizarre in its imperfection. The towers were not straight, but had small bends in their structure made them resemble gargantuan tentacles rising from the ground. The walls had the same effect. The sight of them combined with the dark haze around them place was…painful. It physically hurt to stare at the things for too long. Also surprisingly, while the structures were broken in many places, decay had not touched the place. There wasn't a patch of mold or a wayward plant in sight. The clean appearance sharply contrasted with the horrible smell wafting where the lake was. Just the thought of having to go down there made Luna's skin crawl.

The rumbling sound continued. "That's not coming from Lexarius's draining devices," Luna said. "What's making that racket?"

Celestia's horn glowed once more. "Prepare yourselves," she said. "Remember that Black Rose has tricked this place into awakening. Even as the Six Companions fell, they would have tried to create some kind of welcome worthy of their 'Deep Father'."

The rumbling grew even louder, now making it perfectly clear that it was coming from within the Old Kingdom. They also heard a great mass of metal moving, grinding against stone walls with a horrid whine and striking stone floors with thunderous clangs. Clouds of dust flew up from the Old Kingdom as several walls shattered. The already broken gates clattered across the lake's floor.

Rainbow Dash loaded her crossbow. "What is that?" she asked. "Another alicorn?"

Twilight squinted at the enormous silhouette already visible past the cloud. "No," she said grimly. "I think I know." Legion troops ringed the shores of the lake, weapons out and horns glowing. Another clang and the thing emerging from the Old Kingdom came into full view. The pale sunlight streaming past the overcast sky gleamed on polished metal plates. A pony walked out of the Old Kingdom, a titanic metal pony that surveyed them all with its eyeless gaze. "Coldsteel Construct," Twilight Sparkle whispered.

Luna stepped forward, her horn also glowing. A construct would be problematic for her. It had no mind to trick or torment. With Celestia's strength continuing to return, however, it could be simply a matter of smiting it head on until it was a pile of half-melted body parts. Before she could do anything else, however, Blue Moon stepped in front of her.

"I apologize for the rudeness, but you did not use but valuable time regaining your strength just to expend it on the vile creations of the Six Companions, your highnesses." Magic crackled around Blue Moon's horn. "The Legion will take care of that thing, along with whatever monstrosity that my sister has inadvertently woken up to get what she wants. I suggest you sneak inside when the fighting breaks out and try to catch up with her."

Applejack looked at the thing nervously. "Are ya'll sure you can take that thing? It's huge!" Her eyes narrowed. "And kinda sparkly. What's with all those little lights on it?"

"Disruptor crystals," Twilight said. "Smart Cookie designed that thing and she had no love for unicorns."

"Just like her brother, Rock Maven," Pinkie Pie muttered.

Luna looked to the gathered legionnaires around them. They were obviously daunted by their enormous foe, but they all shared hardened looks and tightened their grips on their weapons. Luna could hear the officers shouting for spellfire lines, flying formations, and artillery. "We'll leave this to the Legion," she said. The spells she cast focused on stealth: invisibility, silence, cloaking against magical detection…

"Ready yourselves," Celestia said. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony shared her grim, determined look. "The Old Kingdom awaits."


	55. The Old Kingdom

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 55: The Old Kingdom**

_When the Old Kingdom Council decided to start the creation of "tributary projects" in preparation for the coming of Oceanus, the earth pony faction focused their efforts on the creation of what would be their mightiest creation: the Coldsteel Construct. The companion, Smart Cookie, led the project having been already known for her many similar creations._

Each step that the thing took sent ominous shudders across the earth. Its enormous metal plates gleamed against the sunlight while the hundreds of crystalline fragments embedded into them glittered. Underneath the armor, great, ropy striations, like giant exposed muscles, could be seen. The Coldsteel Construct was big enough to be at eye-level with a siege tower. That is, if the thing had eyes. Where its face should be, there was only a glittering metal plate.

_The design and specifics were Smart Cookie's, but labor and materials were provided for by Pudding Head. According to translated documents, several mines had to be shut down and all their supplies of raw disruptor crystals were confiscated. An earth pony clan was left completely destitute by this resource drain. Pudding Head's clan was quick to sell them to Platinum for additional coin necessary to forge the massive coldsteel parts needed for the construct._

The first and second wave of Legion bolts swarmed the Coldsteel Construct like a cloud of hornets, only to fall away like twigs thrown at an anvil. Great bolts of magic, from lightning, to fire, to raw concussive telekinesis followed. The thing did not even slow its ponderous gait as its armor absorbed the magical pounding without dent or scratch. Several ballistae fired, but their bolts shattered and fell away.

_The Coldsteel Construct was never used in actual combat, unlike the pegasus tributary project. Instead, it was hidden away within the capital and was lost when Oceanus's Embrace was activated. The decision not to use it against our forces gives credence to the notion that the Six Companions, or at least the earth pony faction within it, already understood that the battle was lost and were preparing to seal themselves away until their Deep Father arrived. With the seals around the Old Kingdom already in place, it is impossible to verify its state or the state of the other constructs that Smart Cookie designed._

Luna watched briefly as the Legion hurled its initial attacks at one of the Old Kingdom's monstrous creations. It was plain to see that the legionnaires were in for the fight of their lives. She dearly wanted to join. She knew that she could prevent a great many deaths if she lent her strength to the Legion for this encounter. The sight of the "tributary project" also ignited a trembling sense of rage within her. The firstborn didn't deserve so much as a spit in his direction, let alone a towering behemoth of metal and gems powered by something more despicable than what it hinted at. She wanted to wrench every plate from this thing, turn it into a pile of junk so twisted that even its makers would not be able to make sense of what it was supposed to be. Afterwards, she wanted to tear down the rest of the Old Kingdom brick by brick. Let nothing that would remind her of a time when Oceanus was welcome anywhere remain.

**_"I will call you to my side..."_**

Nothing.

The Old Kingdom's broken gates beckoned, however. Other constructs emerged from the depths of the ruin. They were also metallic, but clearly not in the same league as the Coldsteel Construct. Their plating looked more fragile and used more sparingly, exposing coils of wires and sets of gears like mechanical guts. Some were pony-shaped, others more bizarre in their design, as if torn straight out of whatever feverish nightmares that plagued Smart Cookie's mind. One had the top half of a pony mounted on a set of five spidery legs. Another resembled a squid that dragged itself along drill-tipped tentacles. None of them noticed the small group of silent, invisible ponies sidling past them and into the ruins.

Luna grit her teeth as the sounds of battle grew louder behind her. Blue Moon's reasoning was sound. They needed to push farther in. The Legion would have to deal with this. Though her spell kept the group invisible to other observers, it didn't keep them invisible to each other. She could see the anxiety that also gripped her sister and her friends. They also felt the urge to stay and fight: Applejack, looked ready to bolt, Rainbow Dash also restlessly glanced back to the fray from time to time, Pinkie Pie kept her head low and her gaze forward, her mind clearly somewhere else, Rarity simply walked ahead grimly. It was Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy who seemed intent on going deeper into the ruins.

There were other concerns as well. As she moved closer and closer to such a great concentration of the firstborn's power of abyss and, perhaps, the presence of his throne, Luna felt a revolting sense of elation welling from within. There was a hurry in her steps that she struggled to get rid of. She tried to shake her hooves, as if the anxiety was some kind of muck clinging to her. It didn't help. All it did was elicit a worried glance from her sister.

Luna couldn't answer that glance. This wasn't the time to bring out her situation. What would happen if she did? Would they offer their support? Would they even trust her when they were plunging deep into the Old Kingdom? Her brother promised that he would not allow Oceanus to have anything, but Terrato was missing, seemingly swallowed whole by the power he promised he would stop. If Terrato couldn't hold back the power of abyss, what could she-?

"Luna..." Celestia's soft tone, barely even a whisper, snapped Luna out of her downward spiralling reverie. Celestia was walking by her side, the worried glance had turned into a concerned stare. "Are you still tired, little sister? I could lend you some strength."

Luna shook her head. "No," she said just as softly. "I've recovered enough. I'll be fine so long as nopony starts losing limbs." The last part had been meant only as some form of measurement. As soon as she said it, however, Luna winced when she saw the others glance on instinct at the bloody handkerchief wrapped around half of Fluttershy's face.

On her part, Fluttershy didn't seem to notice. Or, if she did, she showed no signs of cringing at the attention. She looked more intent on studying their surroundings. Luna could sympathize with that. They were surrounded by a monument to firstborn, they had to focus on orienting themselves and getting used to its appearance.

A strange atmosphere surrounded the entirety of the Old Kingdom. The moment they all descended the crater, they felt it, as if they were slipping through a thin veil of water. Luna looked up to what should be a cloudy winter sky. Things looked to be clearing up and more sunlight was filtering through the clouds. It barely mattered here. Whatever presence they had entered was muting the light that hit the ruins. It was no fog of darkness, but the shadows thrown by the many ruined structures seemed to ripple slightly. Luna had to squint just to get some details around the place. It was as if everything was just ever so slightly out of focus. Then the smell...the smell was horrid and it belied the sterile look of the place. There wasn't a patch of mold or a piece of rotting flesh in sight, but the cloying, lingering traces of decay hung heavily on the air. Luna didn't dare take a deep breath for fear that taking so much of this foul air at once would corrode her lungs beyond any healing.

The group quickly moved away from the main road that led through the gates of the Old Kingdom. A steady stream of clanking, whining, and grinding metal flooded the main road as more and more monstrosities fed the growing battle between the Legion and the Old Kingdom's mechanical reserves. They sidled through a passage way between two broken buildings and hunkered down.

"What now?" Rainbow asked. The strain in her voice, a product of having to move so carefully and hold back her enthusiasm, was evident. "Where should we go?"

"Down is the most obvious answer," Celestia said. "Remember that the Old Kingdom was built over the Blasphemous Rift, and the heart of the rift contains the Foul Weapon. We must keep going down." She looked over to Twilight, whose eyebrows had furrowed in deep thought. "Twilight?"

"Something that I read about this place..." Twilight said. "If I recall correctly, we need to find a tower. Translated text from some Old Kingdom texts said that the Six Companions discovered an existing structure before construction of this place even began. They supposedly used it to 'ascend the depths to the abyss'." Her eyes narrowed further. "It was also written that none of them managed to complete the journey so they guarded it jealously."

"Ascend the depths?" Rarity asked. "Talk about bad grammar. Was Lexarius turning into Discord by the time this translation was made?"

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Sure, let's chalk that up to the list of bad things he did: went insane, spread chaos, and had bad grammar." She tugged at the chain around her neck. "Anyway, let's go find this tower. I don't want to spend any moment longer than we have to here. This place gives me the creeps, what's with all those weird root designs all over the buildings? They look so nasty."

"Those aren't roots," Twilight said. She put a hoof against one side of a building and traced the building design that Applejack was talking about. All the walls and great portions of the streets of the Old Kingdom had long, coiling tentacles built into the stonework. Some were not thicker than a foreleg, others around the same size as an oak's trunk. It indeed looked as if the city played host to the roots of a gigantic tree or was infested with thousands of enormous worms. "They're the tentacles of Oceanus. They're built all over the Old Kingdom, from the plazas and courtyards to the houses. Even the smallest bathroom or bedroom has, at least, one. They were supposed to represent that, from the most public to the most private affairs, the will of the Deep Father held sway."

"Disgusting," Rarity said with a shudder. "Garish too. Why would anypony want to live in a house that looked like it was about to be dragged away by a squid?"

"I don't know," Pinkie said with a pained moan. She pressed her front hooves against her eyes. "But it's kind of hurting my eyes. And my brain."

"You're being oppressed," Celestia said. Everypony turned towards her. "There is more to the design of the Old Kingdom than mere aesthetics. Focus, my little ponies, we are not going on a little tour. The moment we entered those gates, we had already started fighting against this place."

They huddled closer a bit more after that. Rainbow Dash flitted through the buildings, trying to ascend to a high enough point without drawing any attention. A moment later, she flew back down to them. "I don't see any tower," she said. "If there's one, it's probably destroyed."

"Big sister, what about your location spells?" Luna asked.

Celestia concentrated, her horn radiating a golden brilliance that seemed to hold the stifling atmosphere at bay for a bit. A moment passed and she dismissed the magic. "Not much better," she said. The power of abyss is so thick here, using my magic is like trying to keep a torch lit in a blizzard. To make matters worse, this place is under a powerful dimensional lock. I do not know if it's a function of the power of abyss or a remnant of Lexarius's seal." She stared at Luna. "Did it trouble you as much to maintain those stealth spells?"

Luna shook her head. "Not really. I would guess that the power of abyss has a particular distaste for the power of sunlight."

Celestia turned towards Twilight. "You've seen the maps of this place, haven't you?" she asked.

Twilight nodded. "Not just seen, your highness, memorized." The pride was unmistakable in her tone. "I know where the tower to the abyss should be!"

"Good." Celestia mirrored that pride with a smile. "We will need that. No doubt, these sidestreets would have been confusing even during the Old Kingdom's height. The decay and the stagnation of the power of abyss here would have made things worse."

"Worse?" Luna asked. "What do you mean, big sister? Do you mean the damages caused by flooding and the poor lighting?"

"Not just that," Celestia said. "You were not there during the immediate aftermath of the first rebellion. Great sections of Empyrea were warped by the passage of the power of abyss. If the Six Companions were toying with even the lingering presence of it, we should expect...oddities." She looked to Twilight and her friends. "Do not let your attention linger too long with the architecture. Remember that the power of abyss can and will hurt you in ways you may not expect."

"We'll be ready," Twilight said. As they resumed moving through the sidestreet, Luna noticed that Celestia's horn was still glowing. Despite the power of abyss's suppression, her sister still worked on a location spell. Combined with the knowledge Twilight had gleaned of the street layouts, they should have a sure path to their goal despite the warping of this place.

Now that they were away from the main road, it also became clear that whatever was muting the light around this place had a similar effect on sound. While they had no problem hearing each other, the whining and grinding sounds of metal against stone quickly faded into faint scratching, even though they haven't walked that far.

The silence of the Old Kingdom was far from the serene sort. Indeed, it only served to emphasize the unnerving sounds that reached them. The stale air carried faint whispers that seemed to drift just past them. When Luna first heard them, she thought at first that one of the ponies with her was quietly talking to herself. She couldn't make out any words, whether in the language of Equestria or the Old Kingdom. She was starting to blame it on being on edge when she heard something again. Whispered, meaningless things tantalizingly just out of hearing. She perked her ears and looked to the others. The way they glanced around hinted that they were hearing something to.

It was easy to see that they were on a very slight downward slope. The Old Kingdom was built like a massive crater. The entrance was along the very edges of it and the central plaza was close to the very center. The side streets, however, were warped, some in the most bizzare ways. They didn't always travel on a flat surface. Sometimes, the street curved or distorted like a crumpled ribbon. Shadowy doorways to ruined buildings seemed to beckon entry, only to disappear when looked at again. A distant light sometimes appeared in some of the windows. They flickered and vanished around their peripheries. A few times, the warping was so confusing that Twilight paused for minutes trying to piece together enough clues to where to go next.

Eventually, they made it to the central plaza. Around it were the three buildings representative of the three factions within the Old Kingdom, the palace of Princess Platinum, which also served as Clover the Clever's library, the laboratory and headquarters of Commander Hurricane and Pansy, and the Earthworks of Smart Cookie and Pudding Head. When asked about any of those, however, Rainbow merely shook her head and said all she spotted from a distance was wreckage.

The gray-green stone pavement that they walked on was pockmarked with cracks and small, shallow potholes and had the sheen of dampness to it. Small puddles of water collected in the indentures, although these did not have the mirror-like finish of the lake. The stone also felt cold, almost unnaturally so. Despite her silver, Herd-forged shoes, Luna could feel the cold from the ground. The walls were just as bad.

"It's kinda weird that this place is so clean," Rainbow Dash said. She was the only pony flying around and the draft from her beating wings blew more of the foul, cold air towards Luna's face. She didn't chastise the pegasus, however. Rainbow Dash looked restless and uneasy. If flying helped with that, then Luna didn't mind. "I thought there'd be more dead bodies around."

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity snapped. "That's distasteful!"

"Hey, it's not like I want more dead bodies around! Remember Clover the Clever's refuge? It had a bunch of dead bodies floating around even after hundreds of years!" Her voice lowered. "I'm just wondering what happened to all the ponies who lived here if their city just got swallowed by a lake, that's all."

"Don't jinx it, sugarcube," Applejack said. She glanced towards the darkened entrances to the many ruined buildings around them. "We just might find out."

"M-m-maybe..." Pinkie Pie whimpered. The others looked to where she was pointing. "Maybe they all got washed down there."

The side street they were following split in two, one which led to what looked like the main plaza, while the other continued to wind into a veritable maze of ruins. The plaza was not infested with Smart Cookie's monstrosities, much to their relief. It seemed that the horrible constructs that were attacking the Legion were coming from some place else.

Indeed, the plaza was bereft of anything save for a wide flat space and a hole around a couple dozen feet across. The tentacles of Oceanus swirled around the hole and down it. From their spot, it was difficult to tell if a great many of the things were wriggling in or wriggling out. Six pedestals surrounded the hole symmetrically. All were nearly completely destroyed. One still had a large fragment of the statue sitting on it intact. It looked like the hindlegs of a pony rearing up and over the hole.

While the sight proved disturbing enough, the sounds near the place was worse. Luna could hear crying, the distant whimpers of a hurt foal and the stifled sobs of older ponies. She couldn't focus on them, as if the sounds had a life of their own, drifting to the periphery whenever somepony tried to listen better.

"What is that?" Rainbow asked. "Some kind of well?"

Celestia's eyes narrowed. She already knew what it was, as did Luna. Neither of them really wanted to explain. When the other bearers looked to Twilight Sparkle however, they knew one was coming anyway.

"Not a well," Twilight said. "A pit. If that's the main plaza then that would be the Pit of Rejects."

"R-rejected what?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"The Six Companions wanted their 'Everlasting Kingdom' to be perfect," Twilight said. She kicked aside a piece of rubble and stared at the pit in disgust. "That included the residents. Every foal born had to pass stringent qualifications. Those that failed...well...they were rejected."

Rarity swallowed as she stared at the pit. "Rejected as in...they were thrown down there?"

Twilight looked away and towards the side streets. "The parents were expected to spend the next three days begging for forgiveness and promising to do better. Let's go, girls, the tower should just be a little way off now that we've reached this point. If you don't mind, I don't want to pass by that way."

Nopony said anything, but they did take the other street. The gentle sobbing faded as they put the forsaken pit behind them.

"Wait, are heading for that weird dome?" Rainbow Dash asked quietly. Luna could tell that Rainbow no longer needed to put in so much effort in keeping her voice subdued. Even her wing beats seemed to slow just to keep from making too much noise. "I thought we were looking for a tower?"

"The maps I read all point to that spot as the place for the tower to the abyss," Twilight said. "I know it doesn't look like a tower, but I don't think we should be relying on looking when it comes things like the abyss."

They skirted around the main plaza, past the wreckage of the three main buildings of the Old Kingdom. As Rainbow had mentioned, nearly nothing had been left of the three buildings. Perhaps it was better that way.

The dome-shaped structure, however, was mostly intact. Its walls were of a glossy white finish, smooth as worked marble and easily distinguished from the gray-green stone that comprised the rest of the city. Not only that, there were no signs of cracking anywhere around it. The entrance was a doorway that would have allowed a fully grown dragon through.

Hoof-steps echoed throughout the empty building when their group entered. The floor inside was spotless, and as white as the outer walls. The space was uncluttered as well. If this was some other city in Equestria, Luna would have assumed that this was a parading ground or a place of gathering. She looked to the ceiling. Perhaps there was something there that might clue them in on what this so-called tower to the abyss really was. They certainly were not doing any climbing or descending in this emptiness. She looked up...and gasped.

The ceiling was also white and partially luminescent. Despite the dark atmosphere of the Old Kingdom, they could see much better here, enough to clearly make out the incredible detail on the murals above them.

The face of Oceanus stared down on them from the very center of the ceiling or, at least, a depiction of Oceanus's face. Luna was already sure that the firstborn was not black, nor did he have a wriggling mass of tentacles for a mane. The sides depicted scenes from what she could guess was a history of the Old Kingdom. Three separate nations were shown at one part: a city above the clouds, a grand castle high in the mountains and villages across a wide plain. A little to the right showed the same nations surrounded by six great pony shapes of swirling whites and blues.

"The windigos," Twilight Sparkle said softly as she stared at the same part of the mural. "This must be the starting point. The windigos were the ones that forced the early ponies to seek the power of Oceanus."

"Ag'thelos," Fluttershy said. She was also staring at that part of the mural. "Mina'ros, Cos'tys, Mene'tys, Er'bos, and Lok'horus."

Everypony stared at Fluttershy. Twilight's jaw dropped while the others looked with concern.

"Fluttershy, how do you know those names?" Twilight asked. For a moment, Fluttershy didn't even seem to hear them. She continued to look at that particular section of the mural as if she was looking at an old family photograph.

"Fluttershy?" Celestia asked.

"Huh? Fluttershy turned around and winced when she saw them all staring at her.

"How do you know all those names?" Celestia asked.

"Well...um..." Fluttershy pawed the floor nervously. "I...I don't really know...I must have read them off one of those books in Canterlot...I think..."

"What else do you know about them?" No suspicion marred Celestia's voice. Indeed, she sounded genuinely interested, as if Fluttershy brought up a fun little topic at a tea party. Luna wondered if her sister suddenly decided to pick this time to show off how well she could lie or if she meant every word.

The effect was immediate; Fluttershy relaxed and went back to looking at the mural. "Well," she said, "They were...friends...I think. They were a small group within the Equos de Abysso. When Regia Carnifex left, they started thinking that they didn't want to serve as well. So they...they severed the tie."

Luna looked to her sister. "Enforcers cutting off their tie?" she asked incredulously. "Is this even possible?"

"The bond between an alicorn summoner and his or her enforcers is tightly knit, sometimes to the point where even they find it difficult to determine where they begin and end," Celestia replied. "I've never seen it happen, or even heard of such a thing. Still, I imagine that it is possible. Ultimately, enforcers can make their own decisions if cornered in such a way, and I'm sure Oceanus's actions were extreme enough to give even some of his enforcers pause."

"But I've never heard of enforcers going around without an alicorn," Luna said. "What would have happened to them?"

"Let's ask, shall we?" Celestia looked back to Fluttershy. "What happened then?"

"The pain was...it was unbearable," Fluttershy pressed a hoof against her ruined eye. "They went blind with it...turned their rage on everything around them. Her gaze went back to the mural and went from the scene where the windigos surrounded the three nations to where they were chasing a large group of ponies. Blue-white swirls had tangled a few of the fleeing ponies. The next scene showed six ponies wreathed in blackness, the Six Companions, standing against the windigos. "They lost in the end."

"Fluttershy, now I'm definitely sure that there is now way you could have read that somewhere," Twilight said.

Fluttershy looked blankly at Twilight, and then to the rest of her concerned friends. "Isn't there?" she asked. "I mean...where else would I have found out?"

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "You sounded like you were there. Like you knew each of those windigos. Like you felt their pain."

Fluttershy shrank from Twilight and looked away. "I...I don't know what you're talking about! I don't know how I know!"

"Sugarcube, are you okay?" Applejack asked. "You've been acting mighty strange since...well...since you got-!"

"Hammered to a pulp!" Rainbow said. She ignored the glares shot her way. "What gives, Fluttershy? You're creeping us out with the scary eye-blasting thing you did earlier and this history lesson from nowhere!"

Fluttershy dropped to a low crouch, pressing a hoof against her ruined eye even harder. "I...don't know! I don't-!"

A white-feathered wing draped over Fluttershy. "Hush, Fluttershy," Celestia said. "I believe you."

"Big sister, do you know what's going on?" Luna asked. She hoped that the answer was a definite "yes". Being attended to by enforcers was no common gift among alicorns and knowledge about them, despite the Eternal Herd's long history, was scarce. Even the enforcers themselves had little self-knowledge and they had never been inclined to discover.

"Not quite," Celestia said. The glow around her horn brightened briefly. "I do know that this is no case of possession, replacement, or any sort of malicious action by one of the Equos de Abysso. I would have noticed something so obvious and that is not how enforcers act."

"Then what's wrong with her?" Twilight asked. She cringed when Celestia answered with a stern look.

"It would be too quick on our part to assume that something wrong has happened," Celestia said. "Something obviously has and the involvement of the Equos de Abysso is troubling. Let's not forget, however, that Fluttershy is alive right now because of this change."

Silence washed over them like another stifling wave of the ruined city's foulness. Rainbow Dash actually landed and stared at her hooves. Twilight put a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. "Sorry," she said. "For not trusting you."

"It's alright, Twilight," Fluttershy said. "I don't really trust me right now."

"We must focus on more pressing matters," Celestia said. Her horn remained glowing brightly. "The magical energies around this place have been recently disturbed. Black Rose has clearly gone this way."

"But we've gone as low as we can go!" Applejack said. She tapped the floor with her hooves. "Sounds pretty solid to me."

Applejack yelped when golden light flared next to her hooves. The other huddled closer to the princesses as the light began to trace a circular pattern that spanned nearly the entire floor of the dome. Luna studied the markings and shook her head. "Necromantic array," she said. "This is bad."

"Indeed," Celestia said. "The array is very old, likely inscribed by the Six Companion themselves when they frequented this place."

"Why is that a problem?" Twilight asked.

Luna's eyes narrowed. "The problem, Twilight Sparkle, is that I am not even half the necromancer my brother is," she glanced towards Celestia. "And I'm better than big sister at it."

Celestia frowned and looked away. "It is a rare gift," she said. "One I would not have used if I did have it. Regardless, Luna, you can decipher these things better than I can. What can you tell from them?"

Luna studied the array for several minutes, following the wide circle across the huge space. Unlike her sister, she did wish she had the talent for Necromancy. The school was often maligned for its manipulation of things like grudge, necrotic energies, and life force, sometimes even by its own practitioners, but it had its uses as this difficult array was proving. After what may have been half an hour, she looked towards the others. "Oddly enough, this is a form of transport spell," she said.

"But transportation spells belong to Summoning Conjurations," Twilight said. "Shouldn't Princess Celestia be able to use it easily then?"

"If it was to travel to a more conventional place it would be," Luna replied. "This spell will take its targets to the base of the tower. It is a place at the very edge of the abyss created by the Foul Weapon and will swallow anypony foalish enough to traverse it without preparations." She traced one section of the glowing circle with her hoof. "Right here is an incantation for a pact with the power of abyss. With some modification, my sister and I can use it to protect all of you from being swallowed by the abyss." She didn't mention another detail she noticed something which she was sure her sister had noticed as well: the circle strongly resembled an Eternal Herd array. Either the Six Companions had some outside help making it or this thing was here before even the Old Kingdom was built. Oceanus would not have needed this, neither would his strongest servants. What was it for?

"Don't you mean 'we'?" Rarity asked. She laughed nervously and glanced at both Luna and Celestia. "The both of you are coming, right?"

Luna didn't bother hiding the resignation in her tone. "We can't." She could see all six of them wither at this. "With our limited affinity for Necromancy, my sister and I will need to work together with this array just to maintain it on the rest of you. If the ritual is interrupted while you are inside the tower, you will be swallowed by the abyss."

"But-!" Twilight hesitated and looked towards Celestia. "Black Rose and her Thorns must have taken this path...and the Six Companions too! How did they-?"

"The Six Companions only needed a more rudimentary form of this spell," Luna said. "They had no problem embracing the abyss. That is not a path you would want to take. As for Black Rose, she is a very skilled necromancer in her own right, much more than even most alicorns I know. Combine that with how this place is reacting to big brother, it would have been easy for her to pass through here with her Thorns."

"Twilight." Celestia approached her student with a smile and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Past this portal, you must confront Black Rose and her Thorns in the Foul Weapon's presence. My brother is also within, find a way to aid him and, in turn, he will aid you. I'm sorry I cannot go with you, but..." The smile widened. "I know all of you can do this if you stand together."

A tear rolled down Twilight's cheek. She shuddered and her legs looked shaky, but she answered the smile with one of her own. "We will, your highness."

The six bearers of the Elements of Harmony stood together at the center of the circle while Celestia and Luna occupied opposing points. "Are you ready?" Luna asked.

Twilight nodded grimly. Her friends held hooves behind her.

The circle of light intensified as both sisters focused their magic. There was a flash, the same sort that would have accompanied a teleportation circle, and they were gone.

* * *

><p>Twilight shook her head while her eyes adjusted. For a moment, she almost didn't want them to. The Old Kingdom was an awful enough sight; a ruined testament to the very worst of ponykind, a tomb drowned by both water and wickedness. What nightmare awaited her at the edge of the abyss?<p>

The thought passed quickly when Twilight's vision finally cleared. The next that came to mind was 'Did we make a mistake?' It looked as if they were still in the Old Kingdom. The walls were seamless gray stone, as if the entire tower had been crafted from a single block. The lighting didn't even come close to illuminating the ceiling, or even the entirety of the where they were. A spiral stair wound its way up the walls and into the darkness above them, each step wide enough to allow even three ponies to walk side-by-side and rising only a few inches at a time. The floor was...there was no floor. They were standing in complete blackness and- She paused. Wait...where were they getting their light anyway? She looked a little closer and realized that it was coming from her. She lifted a front hoof to her face and stared at it. She was emanating a faint white light. She spotted her friends scattered across the floor and saw that they were doing the same thing.

"I am never going to get used to all these teleportation spells," Applejack said with a groan. The others rose unsteadily to their hooves behind her. "Where are we now? And can't somepony turn on a light? I am so sick of all this darkness!"

Twilight agreed mentally. She focused on a light spell. They were in for the fight of their lives and she didn't want to do it in a place where she barely see a few feet ahead of her. The magic flowed and the spell finished...but no light appeared. Twilight frowned. That was weird. She could 'feel' her globe of light. She moved it around and felt its presence, but the darkness was as pervasive as ever. "Sorry," she said. "We'll have to make do with this...um...self-illumination?"

Rarity felt around her forelegs and chest. "Oh my stars! I'm completely luminescent! I knew I was going to shine one day, but not like this!"

"This is the edge of the abyss, huh?" Once Rainbow Dash got her bearings, she was immediately airborne. "It's not so bad! Just more darkness and stone! So what's next for us?" she asked Twilight.

Twilight pointed to the stairs. "What else is there? We start climbing. Don't fly ahead, Rainbow, it's too dangerous."

"Hold on a second here," Applejack said. "Why are we going up? Ain't we supposed to be going down to this Blasphemous Rift?"

"True," Twilight replied. "But there is no downward path. We climb because there's nowhere else to go."

Applejack scratched her head. "Well, that doesn't-!"

"Girls!" Pinkie Pie cried out. They found her pressing her face against the blackness they were stepping on. "Check this out!"

Twilight looked at the ground. "What is it?" she asked.

"Over there!" Pinkie Pie tapped at the floor and pointed. "They're a long, long way away, but you can see the princesses over there!"

Twilight squinted, and then gasped. She did see the distant figures of two ponies. They were also glowing, making them a bit easier to spot in the darkness. She recognized her mentor's mane and tail, now back to their usual flowing colors. The golden circle of light was also easily spotted. She thrust a hoof towards them, but the "floor" blocked her foreleg.

"Are they-?" Rarity was also squinting at the two figures. "Are they...upside-down?"

Pinkie Pie giggled. "Yeah! They are! I can see the bottoms of their fancy shoes!"

Twilight swallowed as she realized something. "They're not upside down," she said. The others looked to her.

"Twilight, I can see them too," Applejack said. "They're upside-down."

"No!" Twilight tapped a hoof against the "floor". "Don't you get it? This tower is inverted! That portal we used was the very base of this building. Now, we're inside."

Pinkie tapped a hoof against her face. "So...that means we're upside down?"

Twilight nodded. "To put it simply, yes. This lowest floor is the highest point of the tower. The more we ascend..."

"...the further into the depths we go," Rarity said. "Not such bad grammar after all, Lexarius."

"Okay then!" Rainbow said. "Let's start climbing!"

"Wait!" Twilight put a hoof up. "Do you hear that?" Her ears perked at the very faint, distant sound coming from above them. Whatever it was, it was a long way up.

"It's just more ghostly sounds, sugarcube," Applejack said. "Just ignore it."

"No, this one's different. It sounds like somepony's playing some kind of violin."

Rarity's eyes narrowed as she listened. "No, dear. That's not a violin you're hearing." Her mage-blades started floating by her side.

"It's a cello."


	56. Legion-forged

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 56: Legion-forged**

Since the first time he faced down a pack of wolven, Vanguard had come to expect certain sensations to accompany the rush of enemies: fierce snarls and growls, the angry grind of claws against metal, the crunch of bodies colliding, pained yelps of the injured and the weak howls of the dying. For all their blood-lust and persistence, the wolven were, at least, familiar and familiarity always brought some comfort. He knew that the ponies from the Western and Southern Legions must expect similar things.

His previous fight, however, had been against silent, pony-shaped monstrosities of flesh and bone: the monstrous creations of an alicorn identified as Caro Artifex. Once more, Vanguard found himself charging against monstrous and mostly silent creations, this time from Smart Cookie. The smaller, dark-green metal constructs whirred and clicked into the fray. No two constructs looked the same, but they were all bizarre, gaudy, jagged things with far too many cutting implements. Despite their awkward appearances, they moved with surprising agility: scuttling, slithering, and even rolling through the rough sloping terrain with ease. It was hard to tell if these things had eyes or any other senses even if some of them had something vaguely resembling a head.

The constructs emerged from the Old Kingdom like a disturbed colony of ants swarming out and even crawling over each other to destroy anything that dared to be nearby. Their sheer numbers were intimidating enough and the wicked ways by which they were equipped for battle gave even some of the legionnaires pause. Enormous beetle-like pincers clicked menacingly, powerful crab-like claws waved about and spinning saw-blades attached to spidery legs promised a gruesome end for the careless. They came not just in various shapes but sizes as well. The smallest ones were roughly the same size as ponies. There were larger ones, some merely two or three times the size of a pony to enormous behemoths the size of siege towers.

To combat this sudden threat from the filthy darkness that Equestria eventually emerged from, representatives from all three legions had gathered around the Old Kingdom. Earth ponies steeled themselves for the inevitable crash, pegasi took flight and unicorns intoned their first spells. It was unclear as to who had the advantage in numbers. The enemy horde looked manageable for the time being, but more were still pouring out of the Old Kingdom. Terrain, however, favored the Legion. The Old Kingdom lay at the bottom of a lake and its freakish creations had to move up a slope to engage.

A hail of bolts and arrows crashed into the first wave of constructs. The Northern Legion's pegasi were armed with light crossbows, which let them retain their mobility and reload quickly for suppressing fire while maintaining sufficient power to hurt the mobile and lightly armored wolven. From their aerial vantage point, they picked out and concentrated their bolts on the faster constructs. Steel-headed shafts pierced the thin armor plating and jammed into the moving parts inside, hampering the constructs and even stopping them cold. They flew in small formations, dodging and weaving when the constructs fired back with high-speed darts and spinning blades.

The Western Legion's bolts came from the ground. To pierce ursan heavy armor and musculature, earth ponies wielded enormous heavy crossbows, much too big to use effectively in flight. Their bolts shattered the smaller constructs and pushed back even the bigger, thicker-armored ones. If that wasn't enough stopping power, the Western Legion had also brought along some of its notorious "bear-skewers": essentially small, metal-prowed ballistae mounted on the backs of earth ponies. A second pony accompanied the weapon-carrier, holding the ammunition, aiming, and keeping the weapon steady. The size and power of a bear-skewer seemed almost grotesque in its exaggeration, but it, and actual ballistae, was necessary when encountering the rare ursan titans. When a smaller construct was struck, the javelin-sized bolt tore through it as if it were made of paper, raining debris down on the ones behind it. Even the larger, armored ones did not fare much better. One crab-like construct collapsed when a bear-skewer bolt sheared off four of its legs. It collapsed on its side and slid slowly down the slope while others skittered over it.

The Southern Legion had fewer missiles to contribute. Concentrated missile fire was not a favored tactic in the thick jungle-fighting skirmishes that made up many of the encounters between Equestria and Ophidus. Armed with long bows for more versatility, pegasus archers picked their targets individually, trying to home in on the more dangerous looking ones and sniping them from various angles. They flew low, just out of reach of the larger constructs. In the jungle, they would still be under the canopy thus avoiding being clear targets for vipren snipers.

Physical missiles were far from the only things punishing the horde of constructs for coming at the Legion from a lower ground. The northern unicorn magi had assembled their spell-fire lines, unleashing a steady stream of fire, lightning and force against the enemy front lines. They fired in turns, with one row casting while the other recovered and intoned to ensure a constant barrage of spells.

At the very rear of the Legion, the western unicorn magi had formed their evocation arrays long before the fight started. Against the magic-resistant ursans, unicorn magi in the west rarely worked alone. The smallest array, comprised of three participants and a director, was called a ritual. The participants channelled their magical energy into a single blast of raw force which the director aimed and fired for great distances. A ceremony was an array of two rituals led by a coordinator. Four rituals, three in a participatory role and a lead one at the center, made up the largest evocation array known as an assembly. It took more than just putting together every available unicorn mage to create these arrays. Teams had to practice together for long periods before risking actual combat. There were also stories of attempts to form even bigger arrays. None of them ended well. For this fight, the Western Legion had mustered only a single assembly, a dozen or so ceremonies and even more rituals. Great blasts of telekinetic force arced across the sky and pounded the rear lines of the construct horde, sending shards of metal raining back into the Old Kingdom. Great care was put into aiming the arrays lest any strike the Old Kingdom itself and risk harming the princesses.

The unicorn magi from the south spent more time moving among the ranks than firing spells at the enemy. Balls of fire or bolts of lightning were seldom good ideas in cramped fighting conditions surrounded by combustible materials. While it was still reasonable to overcome cobrahn magic, the Southern Legion had to deal with coatl overlords, the most magical of Equestria's enemies and easily capable of crushing entire platoons of unicorns. Southern magic was more subtle: enhancements to speed and power, temporary shields to help with the first impact, protections against potential toxins and most importantly, harmful blasts of energy.

Vanguard watched the unified ranged assault with a sense of satisfaction and concern. Their attacks proved effective enough. That much was observable. The smaller constructs crumbled under the wave of bolts, arrows, and spells. More enemies continued to emerge from the Old Kingdom and the horde was single-minded in its assault. Even the most bloodthirsty and stubborn wolven commander would have hesitated at the amount of casualties its troops were taking before they even got to the melee. Not so these things. They did not flinch or slow when their fellow constructs fell all around them.

Then, there was the big one. Special Operations already knew of the existence of the Coldsteel Construct, but there was too little information at hoof to formulate a plan of attack should they encounter it. It was shaped like a pony, an earth pony given the lack of giant metal wings or horn. Vanguard watched with great concern as it took a blast from the western legion's assembly. White surges of magical energy flowed across its armor plates briefly, but it continued its ponderous advance without taking so much as a scratch.

Finally, after a slow but persistent surge, the constructs approached the Legion's front lines.

The reaction was instantaneous. Once the constructs reached a certain distance, the front line legionnaires charged. Earth ponies from the north occupied the front lines, Vanguard Clash among them. They were the most heavily-armored, well suited for slamming into wolven lines and breaking them apart. At a downward gallop, they crashed into the enemy, trampling those that got underhoof into flattened fragments and pushing back even the larger ones. Vanguard himself slammed into a six-foot tall bipedal thing with enormous grasping arms. Its knees snapped from the impact, leaving the rest of it to be trampled to pieces by his hooves.

The constructs fought viciously. Out of the corner of his eye, Vanguard saw one legionnaires lose both his forelegs to the spinning blades of a scorpion-like monstrosity. As the legionnaire fell, the thing lifted all five of its drill-tipped tails and plunged them into him. Yet, this unfeeling relentlessness their foes exhibited also proved to be an advantage. Gaps quickly emerged within the enemy's front lines. The Old Kingdom's constructs showed no concern for each other and preferred to charge in deep to kill as many ponies as possible over maintaining any sort of formation.

The legionnaires from the west were quick to seize this flaw. The heaviest barding did little to protect a pony from the claw swipes of a massive ursan so the Western Legion outfitted its infantry with lighter ones for mobility. For weapons, they preferred long barbed spears against heavily armored ursans or great jagged blades for those who relied only on their fur. In either case they were trained to outmaneuver their bigger, slower foes and to leave behind horrific wounds until they bled to death. For this fight, they pushed past the front lines and towards the lightly armored constructs that fired darts and blades at the pegasi. They cleaved through their foes with ease and then leapt out of the fray when the heavier constructs gave chase.

In addition to its earth ponies, the Western Legion also had a couple of lancer flights brought into the Heartland. They were the oddities among the Legion's pegasi, the most heavily barded and the least maneuverable among all of them. Lancers were picked according to their strength and endurance, rather than flying ability and long-range accuracy. They were armed with their signature broad-tipped spears, each one nearly ten feet in length. a quarter of which was metal. They dive-bombed large armored targets with finely-honed precision, using special harnesses to release their weapons if they got too embedded or broke. They were also armed with heavy, curved blades for swooping strikes.

The southern legionnaires proved the most out of place in such a massive battle. Just as its long-range units did not favor large formations and mass concentration of fire, the Southern Legion's melee units were not prone to holding lines or breaking them. Heavy metal barding rusted quickly in the humid air of the south and was a great liability in the marshier areas, but protection was a must against the poisoned arrows and darts. A southern legionnaire was clad in medium barding, made very thick leather reinforced with chitin plates from the jungle wildlife. A recent influx of dead dragons provided by the Draco'dim also provided many of the higher-ranking legionnaires with dragon scale barding: light, tough, and waterproof. Weaponry was a matter of balance: short bows for elusive viprens and cobrahns, wide-bladed swords for close encounters with constrictors or very stubborn undergrowth. For this fight, they provided stop-gap reinforcements, helping the northern legionnaires hold the line and providing support for the western legionnaires pushing ahead or falling back.

"Eeyahoo!" Scarlet Rabbit yelled. There was no mistaking his voice despite the din of the clash. As brutal as the melee was on the ground, the pegasi were far from any better up in the air. Blood rained down on the ground units with feathers slowly following after. A pegasus was seldom struck just once when hit and a single still moment, either from hesitation or pain, was all it took to be peppered by a dozen or so flying blades and darts. When bodies fell from the air in a welter of blood and feathers, they were never in one piece.

Though the Old Kingdom's constructs fought silently, the Legion made up for it with fierce neighs and fiercer oaths. The bang and grind of metal was constant and everywhere. When the constructs brought down a pony, the screams that followed was enough to set Vanguard's teeth on edge. He had seen the wolven tear a pony apart and drag away chunks for food, but these things drilled, sliced, and tore with ferocity that he could only call fanaticism. It was such an odd contrast to the flesh constructs, which moved more mechanically than the actual mechanical creations.

"Vanguard!" That was Nightcanter this time and hearing that voice so close left Vanguard confused. He was by the very front lines, slashing and stomping on every construct that tried to force its way to their more vulnerable units. The precautions taken in moving Legion troops into the Heartland meant that their numbers for this fight could have been more. Every legionnaire was needed to push back the enemy, including every Special Operations agent available.

"Nightcanter!" Vanguard had to yell to be heard even though Nightcanter was a mere foot away. She stood by his left side, unleashing a barrage of force missiles at their foes. If Nightcanter's presence wasn't enough of a surprise, the directness of her methods certainly were. "I thought you'd be by a spell-fire line!"

"I figured that somepony better keep a close watch on you, Vanguard!" Nightcanter yelled back. She ducked as a dart whistled past her. "Our dear Elements of Harmony won't take it well if they come out of that hole and find your corpse, unless two of them have some really bizarre tastes!"

Vanguard grunted and swung his two-bladed sword so hard that it cut through the wolf-like jaws of a construct, tearing through its beetle torso and splitting its snake-tail in two. A moment later and that sudden burst of fury brought out by Nightcanter's words were followed by pangs of embarrassment. It wasn't like him to lose control like that. "I'm not going to fall back and hide like some self-important noble, Nightcanter!" he snarled.

"Of course you're not!" Nightcanter smiled and blasted another construct with raw telekinesis. Vanguard was quick to note the absence of the bigger constructs he had seen advancing on his location just a few minutes ago. This part of the line was actually doing so well that it continued to push forward. "I'm not asking you to get out of here, Vanguard Clash! I'm just taking it upon myself to help your chances in making it out alive!" Vanguard snorted and was about to push forward with the rest of the legionnaires when Nightcanter held him by the shoulder. The others pushed on and the din of battle lessened a bit. "I like our new chosen friends and I want them to have a little happy ending after their trip to the Old Kingdom," Nightcanter said. She gestured towards another part of the battlefield that was close to them. "He probably thinks so too."

Vanguard only needed to follow Nightcanter's hoof briefly. It was hard to miss what she was talking about. About a few dozen feet away from them, a bright blue beam cut through the constructs severing limbs as if the metal was butter. The beam had come from a shining orb, no bigger than a melon, hovering near the right shoulder of Blue Moon. A second orb hovered by his other shoulder and was firing a beam at a different location. Around him, constructs lay in pieces, the edges where they had been cut still glowing with heat. Blue Moon himself walked through the wreckage, shielding passing legionnaires. The two orbs that floated near him occasionally adjusted as they fired, sometimes focusing on a particularly large target or individually going for smaller ones. Whether the orbs were able to determine their own targets and attack without prompting or Blue Moon could somehow focus on two different targets while aiding his allies was unclear. In either case, he would be impressive. Vanguard was in no mood to be impressed, however, even as Blue Moon walked closer and enveloped him in a layer of protective spells. "Be careful, Vanguard Clash," Blue Moon said. "You are needed for more than just your sword skills."

Vanguard didn't answer. The front lines were pushing the constructs farther back and he still had his part to do. The advantage was clearly for the Legion for now, but the Coldsteel Construct was still making its way into the fray and reinforcements were still coming out of the Old Kingdom. It wasn't long until he was at the thick of things again. Shards of metal flew around him with each swing and crunched under his tramplers with each step forward. 'More than just my sword skills, huh?' he thought. It was no secret that Blue Moon involved himself in the well-being of the Elements of Harmony.

He looked around him and watched as a few more legionnaires were cut down. Every pony here had loved ones to go back to: family, friends, lovers...ponies whose hearts would break from the loss. Why should he be any different? The pragmatic answer was infuriating. Elements of Harmony. That made him different. As always, the crude arithmetic of war demanded that values be put when they shouldn't be. The mental state of the Elements of Harmony was more important than some family in the Barrier Lands. Vanguard slashed again, this time so hard that the grip rattled in his mouth. The blade cut through metal plating and the wires underneath with such force that he flung them dozens of feet away. Even Nightcanter stared wide-eyed at him for a moment. He stepped past the corpses of several legionnaires and into a breach within the line. With another sweep of his blades, he broke through several constructs at once. The two-bladed sword vibrated from the impact and his jaw and neck muscles were starting to burn.

As the battle started to drag, the piles of junk and dead bodies began to slow the Legion advance. The already damp slope of what was once the lake's bed turned into a slippery mess. More than a few of the heavier legionnaires took a wrong step and started a dangerous slide into the waiting blades of their foes. Vanguard didn't need either as an excuse to plunge even deeper into the enemy. He crashed blade-first into another construct, nearly gouging one of its snake-heads off from the base of the neck. The other two snapped at him, but his tramplers took out their front knees. A tangled mess of plates and wires clattered to the ground. A mass of wriggling, spiked tentacle-chains advanced on him. He swung again, cleaving through most of them and striking the squid-shaped underneath.

The right blade of Vanguard's weapon snapped.

Suddenly off balance and still faced with spikes and blades, Vanguard struggled to right himself. He reversed his grip on what was left of his weapon, aimed for the center of the writhing, broken mass of chains, and stabbed deep. The construct ground and whined, shuddering violently before falling still. Vanguard dragged his blade out only to have the tip break off.

"Vanguard, fall back!" Nightcanter shouted. It was clear that she was struggling to keep up. The constructs didn't respond too much to illusionary trickery. Their "vital spots" were also few, difficult to find, and still required a great deal of force to break. The rest of squad only fared slightly better. In truth, so was Vanguard. His two-bladed sword was ruined, his neck and shoulders hurt, and he doubted that even Blue Moon's enchantments would last the entirety of this fight.

Still, something else kept pushing Vanguard into the fray. His legs moved on instinct: breaking past metal limbs, smashing armor plates, trampling the fallen. An explosion rocked the battlefield just ahead of him and, for a moment, he was back in the north again, caught in a wolven ambush during an escort and desperately fighting his way out with his old squad. Yes, this was more his place. He didn't belong anywhere near the Elements of Harmony. Circumstances merely brought them together for a short while. They didn't need him, the shouldn't need him. The thought that he had secured some place of safety, some form of protection, because of the bonds he had formed left a vile pit in his stomach. He had let himself get too carried away by sentimentality and Twilight's insistence. Being out here, all by himself and among the rank-and-file, offered a renewed perspective. Nightcanter shouted again, but the din had risen to the point that he could hardly make her voice out, let alone what she was yelling. Blue Moon's enchantments sparked as another blow veered away from him.

'Stop.'

The cold, pragmatic thought slipped past Vanguard's teeth-grinding fury. He had to stop. Whether it was to take a breather, to find another weapon, or to simply regroup, he had to stop. He strained to get his legs to follow and to let somepony else go into the breach. He recognized the sensation now, it had slipped through while he was distracted by Nightcanter and Blue Moon's words. Wolven bloodlust. He cursed at himself. How could he have let things get this bad? He had never let the bloodlust taken over this far. Not since he was a colt.

_"It's all feelings, Vanguard, the moonrage, the bloodlust...even the regular lust. Feelings come and go. They're not you until you own them. Will and duty, that's what you should always follow. They tend to stay around."_

Sharpfangs's words had held true all Vanguard's life. It was advice born of dealing with a far harsher form of the wolven blood and a far more unforgiving scrutiny by the Legion. Sharpfangs had eked out a place for himself in the Legion through unfeeling consideration, giving up his dream of fighting in the frontlines to make sure that the thrill of battle did not inflame the blood.

Once more it was that advice that Vanguard relied on. Perhaps it shouldn't be just him. If he was the chink in the Elements of Harmony's armor, it was time for that chink to disappear. 'All feelings,' Vanguard thought. 'Calm down.' He looked around even as Nightcanter and her squad reached him. With the mindless rage settling, he could feel something he hadn't noticed earlier. The ground was shaking. He didn't even need to look to know what that meant.

The Coldsteel Construct's shadow was already upon the Legion. The ground rumbled with each step. Though he was still far from its reach, Vanguard could hear the ominous grind of the behemoth's body parts moving. Strangely enough, he could also hear the powerful hiss of gas escaping, as if the thing was breathing. Even at this distance, and despite the inescapable smell of blood and decay, he could smell a hint of ozone in the air.

"Good thing you got whatever that was out of your system," Nightcanter said in-between pants. "Let's fall back before that thing steps on us."

"Captaaaaain!"

Scarlet half-landed and half-crashed just a few feet away from Vanguard. He was up before they could even try to assist him, gulping down air as if he had just escaped being strangled. Vanguard looked the pegasus over for injuries. The right side of Scarlet's chain barding had been nearly torn off. His champron was gone as well. Cuts, both deep and shallow, covered most of his torso. "What's wrong, Scarlet?" Vanguard asked.

"Something's going on with that giant metal pony," Scarlet said. Despite his wounds and the bad landing, he was still hopping in place. "A bunch of us flew in to see if we can find some spot to shoot at when we all dropped like flies. I nearly snapped my neck too!"

"What did it hit you with?" Nightcanter asked.

"That's the weird part!" Scarlet said. "It's doing something to the air around it! No matter how hard I flapped my wings, the stuff just flows through! I couldn't get any lift going!"

Vanguard watched as several squads of pegasi circled the Coldsteel Construct from a distance. When a few tried to move in even just a bit, they plunged and could only regain altitude if they fell farther away from the giant. "That's probably why it's constantly expelling that gas," he said. "A defense against flying enemies."

"Smart Cookie had pegasi _and_ unicorns covered," Nightcanter said. "The evocation arrays have been pounding that thing once it got in range and nothing's denting its magic resistance!"

The Coldsteel Construct took another step. The bolts and arrows fired at it may as well have been gnat bites. A massive bolt of telekinetic brute force from the Legion's assembly struck its face only to fizzle into a shower of white sparks. The Coldsteel Construct had no visible weapons, but it didn't them. Nopony was crazy enough to be anywhere near it at ground level. Its hooves were big enough to flatten an entire platoon without pausing and it was tall enough to have peeked through the walls of Fangbreaker Fortress without rearing up. All it needed to do as keep moving forward. Already, the line of troops in its direct path was forced to fall back. The rest of the line also had to do the same or risk being separated and surrounded. They were fortunate that the smaller constructs were too concentrated on mindless slaughter to take advantage of the Coldsteel Construct's advance, but that didn't mean the fight would not be lost anyway.

Vanguard shook his head. They couldn't lose. If they retreated now, these things would swarm the Heartland. Next to him, Nightcanter was already ordering the rest of her squad to retreat. The rumbling grew louder and the shaking was enough to rattle the broken remains around them. They had to go. But where would they fall back eventually? If the frontlines receded too far, the rear units would have to abandon their evocation arrays, costing them a great deal of magical firepower. There had to be a way to hurt the Coldsteel Construct. Despite the resources put into making it, no matter what kind of genius was behind its design, it was still made by a flawed pony. There had to be some weakness.

It seemed that Vanguard wasn't the only one whose immediate concern was to fall back, however. He watched as two more glowing spheres materialized before Blue Moon. They formed a diamond pattern in front and above him and began to spin, gathering arcs of magical energy into them as they did so.

The more surprising thing, however, didn't come from Blue Moon. He spotted five ponies galloping as group towards the Coldsteel Construct even as the rest of the legionnaires were falling back. They had the barding of the Western Legion along with a certain detail that marked them as part of another group.

"Celestia drill my backside!" Nightcanter said. "What are those true earth ponies doing? Are they trying to die?"

Vanguard doubted that. At least, he doubted that getting themselves killed was the only thing that those true earth ponies were trying to do. They all wore masks that marked them as capable users of that bizarre magic that their faction practiced. The true earth ponies were not a good deal of fanaticism as well. Perhaps the sight of the Old Kingdom's relics, the very ponies that actually oppressed their ancestors, stirred them into a frenzy of their own.

The Coldsteel Construct now loomed over them, moving close enough to be at the farthest range of a bear skewer. Vanguard could make out the individual plates of metal that formed its gleaming exterior. The sparkle of hundreds of disruptor crystals was also unmistakable. The hiss of gas escaping was already deafening.

The smaller constructs had surrounded Blue Moon, who had stayed despite the other legionnaires telling him to go with them. It seemed that the magic he was channelling was drawing their attention. Despite also being past the frontlines, Vanguard, Scarlet, and Nightcanter were not being targeted. At this point, however, the arcs of blue-white magical energy gathering around his orbs were as huge as lightning flashes. Several constructs jumped him and promptly burst into flaming fragments when they touched some kind of invisible barrier around him.

The Coldsteel Construct took one more step before Blue Moon finally unleashed his magic. The blue-white orbs stopped spinning and flashed. A great beam of energy erupted from between the four, flying towards the Coldsteel Construct's chest. The light struck the massive chest plates. Unlike the bolts hurled by the assembly, this beam did not simply fizzle. Vanguard watched it intently, looking for the first signs of damage, hoping that this would be the turning point against the Coldsteel Construct.

"Oh, to have lived during that time..." Nightcanter said. She spoke softly, barely audible amidst all the clanking and the loud hissing.

"It's more powerful than an assembly blast," Vanguard said. "But I don't think the solution to this is 'more power'."

"That's no simple beam of evocation magic, Vanguard," Nightcanter said. "That's a blast of disjunction abjuration, the strongest sort of dispelling magic there is. It should be our best bet against the level of anti-magic that thing has."

"That's sounds all well and good on paper, Nightcanter, but is it working?"

Nightcanter squinted at the chest plate. "I can't tell," she said. "Too much of a light show going on there. It had better, though, we're running out of options."

For a moment, Vanguard let himself think that it was working. The beam of light seemed to halt the Coldsteel Construct in its tracks. He turned his gaze towards the Legion's lines. The rest of the Legion had noticed as well. Though they stopped withdrawing for a while and fought back. It wasn't just the Legion that noticed as well. The smaller constructs attacked Blue Moon in a frenzy, throwing themselves into his barrier with abandon even as their smoldering fragments started to pile up. "We have to help Blue Moon!" Vanguard said. "He can't keep that attack up if his barrier's eating up his magic!"

Nightcanter nodded. Despite his injuries, Scarlet was also game. They galloped hard to reach Blue Moon, smashing and blasting through a throng of constructs that were all but ignoring them to get to Blue Moon. By the time they made it to the stallion, Blue Moon was perspiring heavily and panting. The beam was still as strong as ever, but his barrier was now simply deflecting attacks. Vanguard slammed his tramplers, his only remaining weapons, against the closest constructs and planted himself between Blue Moon and a wall of bladed limbs. Nightcanter took the opposite side while Scarlet hovered above them. That the constructs were so blindly focused on taking out the one thing that seemed to be having some kind of effect on the Coldsteel Construct was more of a boon now. Vanguard's limbs felt like chunks of lead wrapped in nightsteel. Each time he lifted a foreleg, his shoulders strained as if they were about to rip. He looked behind them, back to the Legion's frontlines just in time to notice a large group of pegasi heading towards them. Even at the distance, it was impossible to miss the enormous spears. "We've got a lancer flight incoming!" he yelled over the din. Between the hiss of the Coldsteel's "breathing", the clang and clatter of their enemies and the steady hum of Blue Moon's spell, even yelling didn't seem enough.

It wasn't just a lancer flight coming their way. Vanguard spotted pegasi from the Northern Legion as well. They had likely spotted Blue Moon's highly conspicuous spell and had come to provide backup and extraction as needed. He crushed another construct under his hooves and glanced at Blue Moon. Despite the great strain, the unicorn remained calm. He was shaking however and, to Vanguard's dismay, the beam was starting to shrink.

"Come on!" Scarlet shouted. Vanguard could understand the rage in the pegasus's voice. The Coldsteel Construct was starting to move again. Its chest plates crackled with the blue-white energies of Blue Moon's spell, but there didn't seem to be any lasting damage.

"How tough can you build something?" Nightcanter asked loudly. She paused and looked to the ground before looking at Vanguard. "Anti-flying gas and impervious magic resistance...I'm starting to think Smart Cookie hated unicorns and pegasi as much as the true earth ponies!"

Vanguard paused as well. True earth ponies...he searched the battlefield frantically. "True earth ponies, of course!"

The beam finally faded into nothing. Blue Moon fell to his knees, panting and sweating heavily. "I'm sorry," he said.

Vanguard didn't hear the words, but it didn't take much skill to read them off Blue Moon's lips. "We're not done yet!" he shouted. With the great beam of abjuration magic gone, the smaller constructs were not starting to refocus. Fortunately, the pegasi back up had come close enough. A hail of crossbow bolts struck the nearby smaller constructs. As the bigger ones advanced, the lancers crashed in. Most of the enormous, steel-tipped spears they used snapped from the sheer impact, but that was only after burying themselves nearly halfway into their targets. The lancers released the catches on their special harnesses and landed nearby, pulling out blades and coming over to help.

"Vanguard!" Vanguard recognized that harsh call. Of all the ponies to come after him, it had to be Flight Captain Tailwind. He didn't know if he should be embarrassed or thankful. Tailwind landed next to him, crushing a construct under her hooves as she did so. "Come on!" she said. "We're pulling you lot out of here!"

"Hold on!" Vanguard said.

"We can't hold on! If that thing comes any closer then nopony's flying anywhere!" Tailwind fired her crossbow at a construct behind Vanguard. The lancers formed a defensive ring around Blue Moon and beat back the enemy with tramplers and blades.

Before Vanguard could reply, a burst of colourful light, like a pillar of rainbows, erupted ahead of them and struck the same chest plate that Blue Moon had been attacking. The swirl of colors coalesced with the remaining crackles of Blue Moon's disjunction beam, exploding into a blast of energy. A loud cheer erupted from the Legion's lines as an enormous section of the Coldsteel Construct's chest plating fell from the blast. Vanguard and the ponies near him braced themselves for the loud impact.

The shockwave sent even some of the smaller constructs flying. Despite the weight of his armor, Vanguard had to hunker down. The others held on to teach other to anchor themselves. The roar from the Legion's lines grew louder and legionnaires hurled themselves anew into the fight. Vanguard looked at just what exactly they had accomplished.

True enough, a large section of the Coldsteel Construct's chestplate had fallen off, revealing a mass of cables, like the striations of muscle, exposed. Many of the cables had been torn apart exposing the inner workings of the monstrous creation. More importantly, Vanguard noticed something glowing past the cables, its light just peeking past all the metal and pulsing like a giant heart.

"Hey, Captain!" Scarlet yelled. "I think we should hit that thing! As in really hard!"

As if to answer Scarlet's remark, several arcing blasts of magic flew from the evocation arrays, clearly aimed for the gaping hole. Several shots from the rituals and ceremonies were wide, striking the Coldsteel Construct's still protected shoulders and face. The assembly's shot struck true however. Vanguard held his breath instinctively, hoping that this would be the shot to bring the thing down.

The magical bolt fizzled and rained sparks on the constructs below.

"Foal of a nag!" Tailwind shouted. "What's it going to take?"

"More true earth pony magic!" Vanguard said. The others looked to him briefly. He pushed back more constructs and edged closer to the protective ring. "It makes sense! Smart Cookie built that thing before Rock Maven's rebellion! She couldn't have built a defense for their brand of magic!"

"Great!" Scarlet said. "We just need to get more true earth ponies then!"

Nightcanter looked towards the spot where the piece of chest plating had fallen. Vanguard could guess what she was thinking about. That spot was very close to where the true earth ponies had fired the attack. It was a miracle that they even made it to that spot, but expecting them to survive after that impact and being swarmed by constructs was unreasonable. "Easier said than done, Scarlet!" Nightcanter said. "The Legion wasn't exactly thrilled with letting a lot of true earth ponies into the Heartland and most of them were reportedly wiped out in some ambush!"

Confusion spread across Scarlet's face. "So...we don't have anything to throw at it?"

"I may have something for that." Blue Moon raised his head and cast another spell. In an instant, an enormous straight sword, well over three inches wide and as long as a pony was tall appeared to unsheathe itself out of thin air. It struck the ground point-first and buried itself on the spot. Strange symbols glowed red, like molten cracks, along the dark gray blade. Upon closer inspection, Vanguard realized that the thing was crafted, hilt to tip, from a single piece of stone. "This sword belonged to my friend and comrade. A true earth pony can unleash great power from it, but any earth pony can make use of its basic properties. Vanguard Clash, I have just enough strength to teleport you close to that heart-like object. Use this sword to destroy it."

Vanguard nodded and approached the sword, but Tailwind stepped in front of him. "That thing's liable to fall apart if destroyed from the inside!" she said. "Pegasi can't approach it so who's going to provide extraction?"

Blue Moon looked to the ground and shook his head. "Remote teleportation at that distance is impossible for me, even at full strength," he said. "There is no extraction."

"Then I'll do it!" Tailwind snapped. She reached out to grab a hold of the hilt with her mouth. Her face was still half a foot away when a surge of colors arced out of the weapon and struck her. With a cry, she fell back, rubbing her face in agony.

"Did you think that the true earth ponies would craft their artifacts to allow pegasi and unicorns to wield them?" Blue Moon asked. "Frenzy Heart used a great deal of personal power just to allow us Thorns to carry it. It must be an earth pony."

"And I'm the only earth pony around," Vanguard said. He glanced at the defensive ring. Their back up was already hard-pressed. "No time to argue, Flight Captain, I'll take care of this. Fly Blue Moon and the others to safety once I'm in."

"No!" Tailwind shouted. "There has to be something else! This is a suicide mission!"

"Flight Captain..."

"Don't do this to me again, Vanguard! I am not outliving you!"

"Mother..." Vanguard held Tailwind by the shoulders and stared at her until she focused on him. "I am a soldier of Equestria," he said. "So are you. We both know what will happen next."

Tailwind grabbed a hold of Vanguard's neck and pulled him to a tight embrace. He felt her chest heave and heard the loud, stifled sob. A moment passed and she let go. She wiped furiously at her face, and then looked to the others. "We're flying out of here!" she barked. "Everypony get ready!"

Vanguard grasped the hilt with his mouth and pulled it out of the ground. Immediately, the blade's weight nearly dragged him down.

"The sword weighs less to a true earth pony channeler," Blue Moon said. He fiddled with his coat's pockets and pulled out a small glowing sphere, no bigger than a pea. "You'll have to make do, Vanguard Clash."

"I can't carry this and wear my barding at the same time," Vanguard said. He let the sword go and undid the straps of his champron. As he unbuckled the other pieces of nightsteel plate, Scarlet Rabbit flew over and helped undo the others.

"I'll keep them for you until you get back!" Scarlet said cheerily, even as he gathered the pieces in his forelegs.

"Thank you," Vanguard said. He didn't bother telling the pegasus otherwise.

"Vanguard!" Nightcanter said. "I'll always regret not getting you."

Vanguard nodded and grasped the sword's hilt again. The tiny sphere in Blue Moon's hooves turned from turquoise to dull gray as the spell finished. A flash of blue-white magic seared away his vision...

By the time he drew his next breath, Vanguard was standing on something uneven and metallic. The ground quickly heaved underneath him, forcing him to make a grab for anything. His forelegs touched a thick metal cable. That was enough of a clue to tell him where he was. When his vision finally cleared, he saw that he was standing on a tangled mess of cables, holding on for dear life as it turned out. Behind him was the gaping hole that Blue Moon and the true earth ponies' combined attack had left. He righted himself and quickly ran in before the evocation arrays tried another barrage.

Farther inside and away from the dangerous blasts of magic, Vanguard could now pay attention to the oppressive surroundings. The dry heat was intense, almost suffocating. Sweat soaked his mane and ran down the sides of his neck. It was also dark here, with only the pulsing light of his target to guide him. The cables proved treacherous to navigate. He was never on an even footing and each step carried the risk of being entangled or slipping. To make things worse, the Coldsteel Construct lurched with each step, causing the floor to come alive. The hiss of gas escaping completed the torment. If it was loud before, it was excruciating now.

'Focus,' Vanguard thought. The mission was clear and simple enough. He pressed on, shoving aside cables that got in his way. Even the cables were lined with disruptor crystals. The thoroughness of Smart Cookie's precautions and the magnitude of this project was enough to draw grudging respect, even from him. It also showed that whatever powered this thing did not behave as normal magic would. He raised Frenzy Heart's sword and brought its blade down on the cables still blocking his path. The ease was surprising. The stone blade was heavy and unwieldy, but it cut through metal as if it were thin undergrowth.

The heart was several feet away from the opening, a short walk. Just making it to that spot, however, felt like hours of hard labor. Vanguard was panting by the time he was close enough to the thing. His vision blurred and his legs wobbled. He didn't have a lot of strength left. If this thing survived his first swing, the mission was likely a failure. He lifted the stone blade and steadied himself as best he could. His legs tensed for a leaping strike...what could be the last leaping strike he would ever make.

All of a sudden, the sword felt too heavy. The angle was wrong, the lighting was too dim around him and too bright around the target, and the constant movement made it impossible to put any strength into the strike. This was a poorly conceived plan. If he turned back now, he could make his way down the cables. With some luck he could climb down the Coldsteel Construct and escape.

The floor heaved again. The Coldsteel Construct was moving forward. Vanguard grit his teeth so hard, his jaw strained against the stone hilt. 'Soldier of Equestria...' he thought. 'You know your place. You know what happens next." Against every instinct tell him to abandon the plan, he took a step forward. The sword wasn't too heavy. It wasn't too dark around and too bright by the target. They were all just feelings. He knew he could make one more strike. He waited for the rumble of the Coldsteel Construct's next step and leapt.

The stone blade struck true, piercing whatever material that the painful glow hid until its blade sank halfway through. Vanguard let go after the strike and collapsed on his side, his legs finally giving way. In an instant, the light abruptly disappeared, like a candle blown out. The movement and the hissing stop. For a moment, Vanguard was in perfectly still darkness.

Then a great victorious roar came from where the opening was: the fierce cry of hundreds of ponies noticing that the biggest threat in the battlefield had been stopped. Following that elating sound was the ominous whine of metal scraping. The floor was moving again. Vanguard could feel the cables shifting and collapsing as the Coldsteel Construct started to fall...

* * *

><p>"Vanguaaaaard!"<p>

The distant cry, was enough for Vanguard to realize that he had woken up. That meant a few things. First, he was alive. Second, a lot of time had probably passed and all the fighting was over. He opened his eyes, but all he could still see was darkness. He tried to move around and quickly regretted the attempt. His hind legs refused to budge. They seemed to be pinned by something, but the pain from the effort meant that they were broken. Indeed, his entire lower half was unmovable. He tried his left foreleg and found it also in the same pain and predicament. That left his right foreleg. He raised it and found that a large section of metal had fallen above him. He was lucky that it hadn't fallen through and smashed him flat. Or unlucky. He could be stuck here until he died of his injuries or starvation.

"Vanguaaaaard!"

Vanguard tried to shout back, to alert whoever was calling out to him as to where he was. His throat felt so dry however. His jaw ached when he opened his mouth and all that came out was a weak groan. He tried striking the metal to make sounds, but he was so weak that he doubted that anypony could hear his feeble tapping. He let out a snort. He had hoped for a quick clean death if it had come down to it. Being entombed alive was the final ordeal as it turned out. 'Not so bad,' he thought. 'I've done what I could with what I had.

With only silence and darkness around him, Vanguard tried to think of other things to take his mind off the pain in his limbs. He remembered the question he asked when his father first gave him that bit of advice.

_"Father, why did you marry mother?"_

_"Now, what's brought this about?"_

_"You said that feelings weren't as important as will and duty. It must have caused a lot of trouble for a lot of ponies for the two of you to be married."_

_"A lot of trouble is right. For me, your mother, her family, even the Legion. You could say that it was a decision with a lot of bad effects."_

_"Then why did you do it? Shouldn't you have just ignored your feelings?"_

_"Well, boy, sometimes a pony has to think about his own happiness. Even if it's just once. I knew that mine involved your mother so I risked it. It doesn't always _feel_ like I made the right choice, but I've always chosen not to regret it."_

_"That's really confusing, father."_

_"Just keep it in your thoughts, boy, maybe it'll make sense someday."_

'My own happiness, huh?' Vanguard thought. Fresher memories came to mind: Twilight Sparkle leaning against him along the halls of the Royal Palace, sitting next to Applejack in that forest clearing with the moon above them bright and the campfire warm. He hadn't chosen, thought that he shouldn't for everypony's sake. He might have been wrong. Maybe that was going to be one more regret before he died in this hole.

An hour passed. Or was it a quarter of an hour? Vanguard felt the metal plate above him shift.

"I've found him! He's under here!"

That was Blue Moon's voice. It was easy to assume that a location spell had something to do with his accurate searching. The metal plate groaned and shifted some more before slowly floating away...

The stream of light hurt Vanguard's eyes even as the first whiff of cool, fresh air invigorated him. He put his one working limb up to shield his eyes. Despite the discomfort, he smiled wryly. "Haven't I done enough?" he whispered. He wasn't sure who he was talking to. It didn't really matter. Perhaps he hadn't. Once more, he was going to be given a chance to do something about it.

"Vanguard!" He recognized the voice now. Tailwind was the first to get to him, cradling his head gently and try to clear the nearby rubble. He felt something wet drop on his face followed by another stifled sob. "You rotten boy..." Tailwind said between sniffs. "You're going to kill me with your stunts." Vanguard felt her shift slightly. "What are you waiting for? Get some medics here and help me get him out!"

A quick shuffle of movement followed those orders. Vanguard's vision finally cleared enough for him to see. It was a sunset's last few rays that had hurt his eyes. Around him, Tailwind, Blue Moon, Scarlet were all smiling. Tailwind wiped more tears from her eyes. "Rest easy, son," she said. "You've done your part."

"Not all of it, mother," Vanguard said, his voice barely a whisper. "Not yet."


	57. Ascend the Depths

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 57: Ascend the Depths**

When Rarity first told them that the faint sound they were hearing came from a cello, Twilight had already tensed for an all out attack from Black Rose's Thorns. It made sense to expect an ambush. In fact, if they had wanted to, they would have waited for an ambush at the base of this tower, attacking the moment they had arrived. They would have known that the princesses couldn't come along. The brief disorientation from the teleportation spell would have left them defenseless from an initial attack. Twilight recalled the reports and the experiences of her friends. Longstride would be high above them, picking them off with shots from nigh-impossible distances. With them glowing in what would should be total darkness, he would have had an easy time of it. Octavia would be near Longstride, wearing them down with her ominous music while Sablesteel and Lion Court charged in. It would have been the fight of their lives. Twilight wasn't sure if all of them would have made it out alive.

"Do you recognize that music, Rarity?" Twilight asked. "It might clue us in on what it might do to us."

Rarity placed a hoof against her lips and concentrated. "Hold on...I've heard this before during a trip to Canterlot's Opera Hall." Her eyes lit up. "I remember! It's the opening to 'Skysong and Nightpiercer'!"

"It sounds pretty gloomy," Pinkie Pie said. "Why would anything open with something so sad?"

"Well, darling, 'Skysong and Nightpiercer' is a tragedy: the story of star-crossed-!"

"No time for a lecture on fancy singing and dancing," Applejack said. She looked to Pinkie. "Is it hurting you like it did the last time?"

Pinkie Pie shook her head. "No. It's making me a little sad, but it's nowhere near like the last time she played. This one just sounds like music."

Applejack snorted. "Let's keep going then," she said. "There's stairs to climb and Thorns to fight!"

Rarity turned up her nose. "Honestly! There's nothing lost in spending a few moments to learn some culture!"

Twilight had to agree with Applejack in this case, however. She looked up to see how far they had to climb. It was impossible to tell with everything being so dark. She couldn't even see the stairs that should be across her in this circular tower. With so little visibility and no rails, this was going to be dangerous even without any fighting involved.

That fact still left Twilight uneasy. No attack had come. The Thorns had purposely ignored a golden opportunity, instead choosing the herald their presence and allow her and her friends to prepare. Relief, indignation, and a measure of curiosity warred within Twilight as they made their way up the spiraling staircase. They had defeated an alicorn soldier! Only one and it had been a desperate battle, but they had won. The Thorns better not be underestimating them. If that wasn't the case, then what was? Why exactly were the Thorns waiting for them above if not to fight?

The staircase was only wide enough to let two ponies climb side by side. Twilight had taken the lead with Applejack next to her. Rainbow and Fluttershy followed while Rarity and Pinkie Pie brought up the rear. Though there was no immediate ambush, this was still a bad place to get caught in a fight. They had no room to maneuver. A lone fireball would incinerate them all. Who knew what spells Lion Court had at his disposal? And that wasn't even counting the poison gas bombs Sablesteel was known for.

Twilight put her left foreleg down only to find no resistance. It took less than a second to realize that she had gone too far to the left. She gasped as the weight she shifted towards that foreleg tipped her over, about to send her plunging down into the darkness. Instead, a hoof grabbed a hold of her shoulder, righting her and holding her steady until she found the floor again.

"Easy now, sugarcube," Applejack said. "Less thinking about stuff and more watching where you're stepping. She looked warily to the side. "Not that it's getting any easier to look."

"Just how high are these stairs going to go?" Rainbow Dash asked. She had taken to walking close to the rest of them. Twilight guessed that it was for comfort and warmth. The cold musty air, if it was even air around them, gave her the occasional shiver. "Or is it how low? Are we going to-?"

"Rainbow," Applejack said. "Don't overthink it. We've got enough stuff going on here to drive us crazy."

Twilight had to agree. Whatever semblance of a base "floor" they had started out with had disappeared. The walls were nearly indistinguishable from the darkness, as were the stairs they were climbing. She had no idea how high or low they had come or how much farther they had to go. The darkness just seemed to go on forever, tugging at her like ocean waves, threatening to just carry her away...

Twilight shook her head. She had nearly veered off the stairs again. 'Focus on your hooves,' she thought. She looked down and concentrated on putting one leg in front of the other. The lack of any other visible thing was making her head hurt.

And the silence...even their hoof-steps sounded muffled. They sounded as if they were constantly whispering to each other even when their faces told otherwise. The silence was torture. Her wandering thoughts were too loud in comparison, distracting to near lethal levels as she had just found out. She may have lost track of how far they've gone, but it was more than enough for falling down to be fatal. Or was it falling up? 'Focus,' she told herself. She searched for something to grab a hold of mentally, something to focus on in this slow ascent to an endless void.

The music helped in a way. The same music she had considered an ominous prelude to an ambush now helped guide her upwards. It was faint and distant, but it kept reminding her of where she and her friends should be going. She looked to the others. The strain on their faces showed the burgeoning effect the slow, monotonous climb. Their ears were pricked and alert, catching every note of that solemn melody. Octavia wasn't trying to scare them off; she was subtly bringing them to a place of meeting. It was clear that this music was woven with powerful magic just to pierce the oppressive silence around them.

It was odd however. It felt as if they weren't coming any closer to that sound. Like Rainbow, Twilight was starting to wonder just how far they had to go to get anywhere.

"Pinkie," Rainbow said. It wasn't lost on Twilight that it was Rainbow Dash who was talking the most. "What can you see with your weird stone-table thingy? Are we getting anywhere?"

"I don't wanna check," Pinkie mumbled. She kept her head low and focused on her front hooves. "This place is making me sick already. If I look at the ley lines, I might go crazy."

"That bad, huh?" Rainbow muttered. She flexed her wings and flapped them a few times. "Well, not like I trust this air either. Why did the those Six Companions or whoever insist on building this weird upside down place anyway?"

"Come now, darling," Rarity said. "You should pay more attention. We're already going beyond the machinations of the Six Companions here." She tapped the wall next to her. "Haven't you noticed? It's not just getting darker, nor are our lights dimming. These walls are slowly stopping from being walls."

At that, Twilight stopped and looked at the walls. Rarity was right, it was nearly impossible to distinguish the dark gray stone from the darkness of the surrounding. She had left it to merely the effect of shadows, but...

"I suspect that, by the time we near our destination, the last traces of anything pony-made would be gone," Rarity added.

"Gone?" Applejack asked. "Then what in tarnation would we be climbing on?"

"This is the abyss we're talking about, Applejack," Rarity said. "I have a feeling that won't even matter the farther we go along."

They continued their climb, filling the silence with vague guesses about what they'd find in the abyss. Twilight felt the urge to shush them. This climb just felt too somber...too final to fill with idle talk. She didn't, however. She guessed that the talking helped her friends push away the crushing sense of emptiness as the music did. Nevertheless, she found herself looking to the other pony who wasn't inclined to join in the conversation.

While Pinkie Pie eventually managed to rouse herself enough to join in half-heartedly, Fluttershy remained focused just ahead of her. Normally, Fluttershy would prefer to hang behind the group whenever they traveled together. For this occasion, she was closer up front, next to Rainbow and behind Applejack. Twilight had thought that it was an innocuous choice of position, but she was starting to think that there was another reason why Fluttershy placed herself ahead of Rarity. Her ruined eye was giving off a faint green glow underneath its handkerchief. Twilight had only noticed it now since she had focused on Fluttershy. She was sure that it had something to do with the power of abyss. "Fluttershy," she said. The pegasus looked at her blankly. "What do you see in this place?"

"A horrible death," Fluttershy said. She didn't flinch when the others looked to her in shock. "This light coming from us isn't just letting us see. If it goes out, we'll all be slaves to Oceanus in an instant."

Rarity looked to her chest and swallowed. "That's not very reassuring, Fluttershy," she said.

"Sorry," Fluttershy said. She glanced at Twilight. "But you asked what I was seeing."

"You mean with that glowing ruined eye?" Rarity asked. Her voice lowered. "I'm sorry, darling, I noticed, I just didn't want to bring it up."

"How do you even see something that might happen?" Rainbow asked. It was as if Rarity's words just flew past her. "Do you have fortune-telling powers now?"

"Not really," Fluttershy said. "I just...know. This darkness is very familiar. Once you agree to serve Oceanus, it's very, very hard to change your mind." She focused on Rainbow. "You asked where all the ponies of the Old Kingdom went. They're here. They're all waiting for his arrival." She pressed her ruined eye softly. "Also...I think I'm starting to understand..."

Twilight stopped, prompting her friends to do the same. "Understand what?" she asked.

"This...other me, this pony I freed to be able to use the Stare so openly...I can't find her. She said she was going to be out and she'd always be 'out', but I can't find her."

"Fluttershy..." Twilight reached for the pegasus with a hoof.

Fluttershy shrank back. "I think...she is me. Or I'm her. That's why I'm remembering these things. I think...I think I am Lok'horus. Or...or some kind of thing that was left of him. I just stuffed her...or me, in that place. I think...I think..."

"Hush now, dear," Rarity said. The snap in her tone nearly made Twilight jump. "You're barely making sense! You...other you...Lok'horus or some such thing. We can't take it all in!" She smiled. "Nor should we even need to. She draped a hoof over Fluttershy and held her close. "It wouldn't matter one bit if you're the 'remains' or whatever of this Lok'horus. You are our friend and you've chosen to deal with this stranger aspect of you for all our sake. That is well and good enough."

The others nodded and a few tears trickled down Fluttershy's remaining good eye. "Thank you," she said. "I'll deal with her...or me as best I can."

"One more thing," Twilight said. Her friends looked to her. "Can we expect the Six Companions here?" Fluttershy nodded. That was the only answer Twilight needed to push on harder. Underneath the sense of oppressive dread and the rising inevitability of finally confronting Black Rose, Twilight also nursed the hope of encountering the Six Companions, to see with her own eyes the fate they brought upon themselves.

More time passed. With nothing to consult, Twilight wasn't sure just how much. It must be hours now. Even trying to maintain conversation was as difficult as holding your breath. They had to stop at some point as they ran out of things to talk about or the strength to distribute between talking, thinking of things to talk about, watching their step, and keeping an eye out for surprises. Twilight shivered again, more violently this time. Was it getting colder? She let out a long exhale and checked if her breath formed visible vapor. She didn't see any, but that could simply mean that it was too dark to see. Would her breath be luminous as the rest of her body was at the moment or-

A dull crash from behind her brought Twilight's thoughts and her breath up short. She looked behind her, expecting the worst. Were they already under attack? She found Pinkie collapsed on her belly and breathing heavily.

"You okay?" Rainbow asked. She nudged Pinkie's side with her snout.

"I can't do this anymore!" Pinkie wailed. "It's so dark! And quiet! I hate it here! I wanna go back!"

"Pinkie Pie..." Rarity tried to say something, but it was as if Pinkie's sobs stifled her. Twilight found herself silent as well. In truth, Pinkie Pie was just saying what they must be all feeling. This place was so wretched and oppressive that each step was a trial. She missed Golden Oaks, Ponyville, Canterlot...she missed just being out in the light. Perhaps...perhaps she could turn them around just yet. She could feel the powerful ritual that kept them in this place and knew without a doubt that she could cast something that would signal the princesses to pull them out of this miserable hole. She looked to the others. They didn't have to say a thing. The trembling in their limbs, their inability to protest against Pinkie's crying...they already agreed.

"Come on, Pinkie, get up."

That was Rainbow. Twilight looked towards the pegasus. It wasn't reckless cockiness that showed on Rainbow's face. Not even a desperate desire to mask her fear by pushing others. A strange calm kept her features firm in sharp contrast to the downcast looks around her. Pinkie whimpered and refused to budge. "Just go on ahead," she said.

"Come on, Pinkie," Rainbow said, her tone even firmer. "Nopony's staying behind. I'll push and drag you the rest of the way if I have to." She smiled slightly. "It won't be the first time you made me."

At this, Twilight finally found the strength to walk over as well. "We can do this, Pinkie," she said. "One step at a time and we'll put this behind us for good!"

Applejack nodded vigorously and offered her back. "Hop on if you're tired," she said. "Cause we sure ain't budging until you do!"

It turned out that Pinkie didn't need the ride. She stood up, still burdened by the atmosphere, but with a renewed look of determination. "Let's go," she said quietly.

The smile stayed on Rainbow's face as she took her place back in their formation. The one on Twilight's stayed as well. As they continued their climb, she took one more glance at Rainbow. She felt something odd emanating from her friend, more than just that infectious persistence. There was a different glint around Rainbow's chest, where the Element of Loyalty would be. The light from it felt warm, strong, sustaining. While the music gave direction, this light felt like it flowed through their limbs and gave them the will to press on.

The scholar in Twilight wanted to ask questions, to take notes and perform studies. She ignored that part for now. Better to hold on to this light and press on.

The thoughts flew out of her mind when Twilight's next hoof-step touched nothing. All she could manage was a startled gasp, barely even that before she started to fall. Instead of a saving grasp from Applejack, she heard the earth pony gasp as well. What had happened? Did the stairs fall apart under them?

"Help!" Pinkie Pie yelled.

A cry from Fluttershy, a shriek from Rarity, and a swift curse from Rainbow Dash confirmed that all of them had started falling.

Or were they?

Twilight didn't notice any stair disappearing or wall going from her sight. She looked to her friends and saw all of them flailing their legs. Rainbow flapped her wings desperately to no avail. Pinkie looked like she was trying to climb back up despite being upside down. Their drawn out screams faded when their lungs finally emptied. Still, no sudden, horrible stop. Twilight clutched her head and looked around again. Wait...was Pinkie Pie upside down? Or was she? Just what direction were they "falling" to? How fast were they even going? Twilight's grip on her head tightened. She needed something to hold on to, something to compare to. The nothingness gripped at her senses and stretched them mercilessly towards every direction. Her brain was starting to feel as if it was caught in a clamp.

Once more, the sound of cello music flowed towards and through them. Twilight paused. For a moment, she even forgot that she was in motion. That sound. It was still above them. More importantly, with everpony out of breath, Twilight could hear it better. The cello's music was getting louder. Pinkie Pie opened her mouth, but Rarity made a swift gesture with a foreleg. "Shush!" Rarity said. "Has anypony noticed that? We're falling closer to the sound!"

"But the music was coming above us and we're falling!" Rainbow said. "How are we falling up?" She grasped her head tightly. "Or...wait, we're actually falling now? But how is that-?"

"We're at the edges of the abyss," Fluttershy said. Her soft-spoken words cut through the harsh protests with ease. Even Rainbow, who obviously didn't like such a high-hoofed answer was silent. Being so close to the abyss was all the answer there needed to be. They had been caught in an impossible situation at the very beginning after all.

"But we're still falling somewhere," Rainbow said. "I can't even get any lift!"

"Maybe we're not," Twilight said. Everypony looked to her. "Remember what Rarity said? Sooner or later we'd be running out of tower, but we'd still be going on."

"Falling, flying, I don't care anymore!" Rainbow yelled. "I just want to stop!" She raised her forelegs as if she could just put a stop to the insanity. "Stop!"

And Rainbow did stop.

Twilight's eyes widened. For a second, she expected Rainbow to immediately crumple into a broken heap of crushed bones and muscle as expected of somepony crashing from so far a fall. No such thing happened. Rainbow merely stopped moving, as if the entire world decided that she wasn't falling after all.

A newer problem quickly showed itself. Rainbow was quickly turning into a distant glowing figure in the vast darkness. That she was lagging beneath them confirmed that they were indeed going up. They needed to stop or she might be lost to them for good.

"Guys, stop!" Rainbow shouted after them. "Just make yourself stop!"

Stop. Twilight shut her eyes tightly and willed her body to stop. She squelched the urge to hold herself with telekinesis. That wasn't going to be the answer here. Rainbow was no unicorn, but she stopped herself. The answer was simpler, one easily used by anypony. She just needed to will it.

When Twilight opened her eyes again, she was staring at all her friends caught in various positions. She didn't know who was upside down or not, not that it mattered. She quickly looked beneath her, fearing the worst. To her relief, Rainbow Dash was still beneath them. 'We stopped,' she thought. 'But how? Did we catch against something? Some kind of invisible net...' Twilight set her hooves down hesitantly, fearing that any sudden move might cause her to start "falling" again. To her surprise, her hooves met some kind of solidity. It didn't feel like stone or some other hard surface. Instead, it felt slightly yielding and firm, like flesh. She held out her forelegs to feel for some kind of wall. Again, she met a similar form of resistance. Around her, her friends were trying out the same thing.

"Guess we all hit something," Applejack said. She tapped a hoof against the darkness beneath her.

"That makes no sense, Applejack," Rarity said. She was tapping the space above her and beneath Applejack. "I stopped directly beneath you. If we actually hit something, you should have been stopped by whatever's keeping me in place." She looked at Pinkie Pie, who was looking more and more as the one who was upside-down. "And that shouldn't be making any sense."

"Let's not count on sense anymore, girls," Twilight said. She gave the darkness in front of her one more tap. To her front hooves, it felt as if there was a solid vertical wall blocking her. She swallowed, placed her forelegs flat against the "wall", and started walking vertically upward. The others gasped at this. To round out her theory, Twilight walked a complete circle and back to where she was standing a while ago. "This is the abyss," she said. "Up, down, forward and backwards all depend on where we want them to be."

For the first time since she arrived in this dark place, Pinkie Pie's eyes brightened. "You mean I can do even this?" she asked. She hopped from her upside-down spot to a vertical one, and then hopped to the opposite side. "This is kinda neat!" she said. "Finally, something neat in this horrible, depressing place!"

Upon seeing what they were doing, it only took Rainbow Dash a couple of seconds to gallop over to them. The rest followed until they were all on a relatively level plane with each other and facing the same direction.

"Glad to see that's been straightened out," Rarity said as she flicked the front curl of her mane with a hoof. "All that confusion was giving me a headache."

"We're not out of the woods yet," Twilight said. "We're just back to following that music."

Rarity looked up, her ears perking to catch the –now much louder- music. "We're at the final act. Skysong's swallowed poison at this point and Nightpiercer's off to challenge his seven brothers. I must say, Octavia's playing has done us more good than harm so far," she said. Her eyes narrowed. "I must also admit that it is very good. Perfect even."

Twilight's first response was to cast a spell. A shimmering, pale purple shield surrounded each of her friends. She wasn't taking any chances. They stood out like beacons in this darkness. Even if the Thorns were a long, long way away, she had to pre-emptively protect them or Longstride would start picking them off.

With the protection spell done, Twilight tested her footing one more time. No matter how many times she explained to herself, she couldn't shake off the uneasiness of being able to just walk anywhere in anyway. And this soft sensation...it was starting to become disgusting. She was starting to wish for cold hard stone. With the cold, the darkness, and this disturbing fleshiness, it was like she was walking within the innards of a long dead creature.

They followed a straight route to where the sound was coming from. From their perspective it appeared straight, but it still tugged at Twilight that they were, in fact, walking up like spiders. Time itself seemed to stretch out like the void around them. The small talk had dried up. Twilight tried to say something just to keep her friends talking, to try to anchor their possibly straying minds. She opened her mouth, but it the void seemed to suck the words away before she could even form them. More than that, it was the music. As Rarity had said, the music was reaching its last strains, building into long, powerful sobs.

Despite her long stays in Canterlot, Twilight had never seen "Skysong and Nightpiercer", or any opera for that matter, but this solo performance was enough to stir up some vague ache inside her. She couldn't help but wonder. What would it be like to hear this as it was mean to? With the actors, singing, and a full orchestra...perhaps she had been missing out on a lot more than she had thought.

The time for pondering gave way to a new rising panic, however. The music was coming to an end. What were they going to do when everything fell completely silent? Do they just keep going straight? How would they even make sure of that? A wrong turn, a slight veering off and they would wander this wretched abyss forever! She thought of breaking into a gallop, but would that help or make things worse?

And the music did stop. For a second, Twilight felt as if her heart had done the same. A quick look to the others showed that they too harbored similar fears as she did. No piece followed that last song, leaving them stranded in the dark.

"Um...what now?" Applejack asked. "Do we just keep walking?"

"Hold on..." Rarity squinted at the far distance. "I see," she said. "Don't worry, girls, I can see some very faint lights. I think we've made it in time."

Twilight squinted as well and sighed when she spotted the same things. She never imagined that she would be glad to find signs of what could be the Thorns.

"What are we waiting for?" Rainbow asked. "Let's go get them!"

Twilight was already thinking of the first few spells to use, but she wasn't as eager to attack. First things first, they needed to make sure as to which Thorn was where, a hard thing to accomplish when their opponents were barely dots at a distance.

They walked closer, weapons drawn and eyes squinting to catch the smallest movements. Octavia had not bothered to play anything else. That made it clear that either the Thorns already knew they were close, or had bothered to lead them near only to not mind when they got lost in the end. Twilight preferred to bank on the former.

The dots grew into brighter figures. As they neared, Twilight could now make out details, not just on appearances, but what they were doing.

There were four glowing figures meaning that the Thorns were all there: Octavia stood at the center while Lion Court, Longstride and Sablesteel surrounded her like a small audience instead of a squad rather to fight. To highlight that point, Lion Court started clapping once the last strains of Octavia's performance came to a stop. In return, Octavia bowed before turning her attention towards Twilight. "Finally," she said. "We can dispense with warm-ups and get on with the main performance."

The sight of Octavia alone left the stunned for a few seconds. They were now close enough to see finer details and the sight of the blood running down in thin rivulets from Octavia's face, neck and forelegs was a sight straight from a nightmare. Even more astonishing was that Octavia didn't seem to notice. When the blood dripped down on her cello, the crimson liquid disappeared in an instant, as if the wood was drinking it greedily.

"What's going on?" Rarity asked. Like Twilight, she was also staring pointedly at the bleeding cello-player. "Have you Thorns been fighting each other?"

Octavia turned her nose up with a flick of her head. A few drops of blood flew from the motion and landed on Lion Court's beard and lips. "I just played all three acts of 'Skysong and Nightpiercer' and not even a hint of applause." She snorted. "Barbarians, the lot of you..."

Lion Court stopped clapping. "Well, I think it was nothing short of a virtuoso performance, my dear Octavia. I wouldn't mind an encore." His tongue flicked out, taking in the blood that had spattered near his lips. "Not at all." He offered her a handkerchief, which she started dabbing her face with. Lion Court then focused his gaze on Twilight. "Lovely as that Heartland piece was, it's time we get to more important matters. Now-!"

"Where's Black Rose?" Twilight asked. Her horn glowed brightly, standing out among their illuminated forms with a menacing aura of hostile magic. She was tired from traversing this insanity and she was in no mood for long-winded, "formal" talks. "Take us to her."

Lion Court's unflinching smile was beyond irritating. Twilight was starting to consider the pleasantries the worst part of fighting Black Rose and her Thorns. Whatever happened to evil gloating and sadistic threats? "We will," he said. When Twilight raised an eyebrow, the smile only grew wider. "What were you expecting, Twilight Sparkle? An encounter straight out of literature? The band of stalwart heroes must first face the evil sorceress's evil minions before the final encounter!"

"More like a barbarian horde beating down the last gates of civilization," Octavia said.

Lion Court did not even glance at the remark. "You will meet with Black Rose," he said. "You will have your final bit of business. That much is inevitable. We couldn't stop it even if that was why we're here." And then he did glance sideways, not at Octavia, who was still cleaning herself up as best she could, but at Sablesteel. "No matter how much some of us want to."

"I think you'll find that none of us are interested in running your little circles anymore, Lion Court," Rarity said. Her blades spun above her head swiftly. "Especially after that little 'surprise' you left me!"

"Oh, but we're done with little circles," Lion Court said. "No more little games, no more arrows to the cutie mark, and no more ineffectual threats against kin."

Twilight glanced at her friends. None of them had lowered their guards. Rainbow had her crossbow aimed at Longstride, who looked so unconcerned that she may as well have threatened to pelt him with twigs. With Pinkie had her tablet out, but she wasn't as aggressively focused when she looked at Sable, who was not even looking at her in return.

"Now," Lion Court went on. "I think the mistress has been more than accommodating on her part." His tone lowered and the smile disappeared. "Too accommodating as I see it. The barrier has been destroyed, the power of sunlight restored, and the scheming Gravitas brought to his knees. It would not be a stretch of your own good graces to hear her out one more time."

Twilight didn't look to her friends again, but she felt her gazes on her. Part of her didn't want to hear Black Rose out for one more time. Black Rose loved to talk and negotiate. Things always worked out to her plan whenever she did so. What if they decided to refuse now? A sudden attack could throw the Thorns off balance. Longstride was in range and it looked like he was still recovering from some kind of beating. Octavia was clearly hurting from all the playing she had been doing. Only Lion Court and Sablesteel looked ready to respond.

"I must also add that it will fall to all of us to see the prince out of this alive," Lion Court added.

Prince Terrato. That's torn it.

Twilight didn't like the prince. No, that was mildly putting it. There was nothing he did that ever sat completely fine with her. It was always compromise, always "this will have to do for now", always a two-edged solution. He was a bully who loved to make himself scary and got angry when ponies got scared, completely uninterested in making others happy, comfortable or anything that remotely resembled a pleasant mood.

Of course they would help him. It wasn't even a matter of gaining one more ally in this blackness, or because his sisters loved him dearly. He needed their help. Despite some part of her protesting, Twilight knew that they were going to listen. "What is this 'final bit of business'?" she finally asked. "And where is the prince?"

"Our mistress has taken a lot of one way trips in this gamble of hers," Lion Court said. "You may be surprised as to how we've even gotten here when traversing this wretched abyss necessitated the powers of Harmony. Powers which I see having been ignited further. As the mistress had hoped, fighting off the presence of the abyss has taken those meager sparks we've tried to start into an inner radiance." He tilted his head slightly, now staring pointedly at Twilight. "Most of you anyway. No matter, we still have a few more tricks left to finish the job.

Twilight didn't set her spells aside, but she had to admit that she had to listen for now. There was a truth in those words. The light she felt off her friends was different from this plain glow that the Thorns had. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, even Fluttershy glowed with a warmth to stave off even the abyss. What about her?Did she glow the same? She shook her head. "How did you get here so easily?" she asked.

"We rode on the back of a wave you might say," Lion Court said. "The wave of the miserable, fanatical souls of the Old Kingdom's residents carrying the son of Dominus to his rightful place." The smile was back. "It was a good thing that Black Rose got rid of the power of sunlight. They would have recognized it and gotten furious. As it was, she knew enough necromancy and illusion to convince them that we were all servants of Oceanus."

"Congratulations," Twilight said flatly. "Your mistress is the greatest liar in all of Equestria. What does it have to do with the prince?"

Lion Court shook his head. "You're too kind," he said. "But she's only second greatest in this regard. You would know well who the first is." Twilight clenched her jaw, but she bit back a retort. "As for what it has to do with us now, it's time to set things right. The prince is not Oceanus and should not be condemned to being smothered by fanatics in this darkness until the real thing shows up. It broke the mistress's heart to use this and she trusts us to set him free and take care of this sleeper threat to our beloved Equestria."

"Lion Court," Longstride suddenly said. He was looking above them, his strange golden eyes bright and focused. "Hurry it up, they're stirring. It won't be long until they get here."

"Ah, it's already starting then. Given Longstride's remarkable acuity, we still have a few minutes to prepare for the attack your presence here has brought."

"What?" Twilight looked around her. "Attack? What do you mean? What's attacking us?"

"As I was saying," Lion Court said. "The Old Kingdom's ghosts have the prince in their grasp and we're here because they think we're one of them. The arrangement worked until a new presence arrived to trigger their rage."

"The Elements of Harmony," Twilight whispered.

"Exactly. In their twisted vision, a foreign power from the same place as Lexarius the invader has arrived and we Thorns, the advance troops, have engaged. I doubt they'll be bothering with small fry. Far from it, we can expect their leaders to show up to kill you all."

"The Six Companions!" Twilight said. She looked back to Lion Court in an instant. "If we defeat them, we'll rescue the prince and put an end to their threat! Oceanus won't have ready troops from the Old Kingdom when he shows up!"

"Excellent!" Lion Court said. His blades spun around him just a bit faster, the only reflection of the battle-ready mood his pleasantries wouldn't let the rest of him show. "We're on the same page at last!"

"Lion Court!" Longstride said, more urgently this time. His unconcerned look gave way to a grim stare as he finally readied his bow. Sablesteel's blades were already jutting out as well. Twilight briefly pondered how this pegasus was planning on poisoning ghosts.

"And I just got cleaned!" Octavia said with a huff. She placed her bow in position and closed her eyes, likely planning the next melody.

"What in tarnation are we waiting for exactly?" Applejack asked. She squinted as hard as she could above them, standing on her hindlegs and stretching herself as high up as possible without leaving the level they were on. "I can't see a thing!"

"I think I see it!" Pinkie Pie yelled. "It's a pony! I think!"

Twilight joined her friends in trying to discern what was coming. It did look like a pony, the glowing, distant figure of a pony was galloping towards them. This was the "main force" of the Old Kingdom? It looked more like a low-ranking messenger...

Seconds passed, as they did so, a dread realization began to slowly creep up on Twilight. That "pony" was taking a while. More glowing dots, probably more of its fellows, had appeared. The central one was getting bigger but the speed that it took to change was starting to make something clear. This "pony" was big, likely bigger than even Ridentem Malleorum.

"Incoming!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

The pony figure loomed above them. Its glow was a harsh white glare, not like the gentle illumination that the rest of them, even the Thorns, emanated. Up close, the glare highlighted every horrid detail on it. The pony, if this gargantuan thing could still be called that, wore the tattered remains of what would have been a luxurious fur-trimmed cape. The fragments of spectral gems still hung loosely from both cape and gown. Despite the terrible condition, the clothes were more than just fancy, they bore the trappings of royalty. Its mane, a tangled mess of curls and ornaments tumbled from its head and neck like strewn ribbons. Its flesh was an alien sight, torn and rotted to reveal portions of the skull and other bones, yet seemingly glazed over by some kind of liquid substance, as if it was a mangled corpse dipped in preservative ooze. From the attire and the horn, Twilight could guess who this was. It didn't matter that is eyes were noting more than dark purple orbs of light within its badly torn skull. This had to be Princess Platinum, one of the Six Companions. That meant those other lights were-!

"Watch out!"

Applejack's cry spurred Twilight into her first spell. She boosted the shields around her friends. Now, she didn't just need enough to stop a lone arrow from Longstride, she had to prepare for whatever the Six Companions could throw at them. The precise movements of magic in her mind jumbled into a panicked mess when Princess Platinum flew past them with an ear-splitting wail from her lips and a burst of purple light from her horn.

The others cried out. Whether in pain or fright, Twilight couldn't tell. She instinctively galloped away from Princess Platinum as she looked to her friends. The wave of purple energy struck her shield with a nigh-palpable rage. She could feel her enchantments waver and saw the purple sphere shake with the strain. Their shields had held up as well, but Twilight new a second wave would break through her protection. They needed to deal with this first companion before-

A neigh of rage quickly followed suit as a pair of gigantic, spectral pegasi descended upon them. Behind, two more glowing figures were also starting to close in.


	58. The Six Companions

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 58: The Six Companions**

Twilight still remembered that Hearth's Warming Eve when she had received the news that she and her friends were going to portray the legendary founders of what would be Equestria. She had nearly fainted alongside Rarity. The Six Companions did more than just discover the land of Equestria; they discovered what it took to bring together three bickering kinds of ponies. They discovered friendship. That made them more than heroes. That made them…

That made them monsters.

The terrible truth assaulted Twilight from nearly every direction. It was in the wails and shrieks of these ghosts circling them like vultures. It was in the cries of warning from her friends and the sinister glow within the rotted skulls of these alien monstrosities that were supposed to be their great legends.

There was Princess Platinum wading among them, a mockery of unicorn elegance and nobility, her decadent, fur-trimmed cloak billowing from her like a still-living creature. She was covered in jewelry, encrusted with it in fact. They dangled from her ears with golden hooks, hung from her neck and tail, and wrapped around her fetlocks. Sapphires, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, there was so much that Twilight truly believed that they would have weighed a pony down more than a set of nightsteel full plate. Yet not even all the luxury could hide the rotting appearance of the pony who wore them. Here was the pony who made a city's population of slaves dig inside a mountain for her own dark purposes until her oppression forged a seething hatred to last through the centuries.

Floating above and in front of them was Commander Hurricane, his heavy barding cracked and shattered in places. A spectral arrow had all but replaced one of his eyes, while broken blades and spear-heads stuck out of his back, shoulders and flanks. Both his wings appeared to have been hacked off, leaving only tattered feathers clinging forlornly to exposed bone stumps. Despite the grievous injuries, not a single drop of blood trickled from his body. It looked as if Hurricane had died fighting, but the history books said that the Six Companions were all within the Old Kingdom during its last moments. Perhaps, these ghosts took on an appearance reflecting how they had lived instead of how they had died. If so, the violent marks suited the leader of the vicious Graywing Elite well. The pegasus who urged his ponies to prey upon ponies instead of eating produce now looked as if he himself had been torn apart for meat.

Pansy floated behind them, directly opposite of Hurricane. If Hurricane's injuries were brutal, Pansy's were outright bizarre and disturbing. Her forelegs looked too big for her. Twilight could see the stitch marks around the shoulders they were attached. Both her hindlegs were that of a lion's and her wings were scaled like a dragon's. Her teeth were all mismatched canines, some oversized, others too small. A long, tattered lab coat, the thing that marked her as Pansy, fluttered behind her, barely clinging on. Pansy the mad doctor who dismembered hapless victims and pieced together abominations was now an abomination herself.

At a distance, two more glowing figures were fast approaching. Twilight guessed that they would be Smart Cookie and Puddinghead. That meant Clover the Clever was missing. Was she not going to take part in this fight, or was she holding back for a grandiose entrance?

That was a problem set aside for later, however. Platinum was already rampaging among her friends and the other two ghostly companions looked about to dive in. A constant wave of dark purple magic flew from Platinum's bejeweled horn. Twilight's shields alone could not have defended all of her friends, but they didn't have to.

The abyss's bizarre nature allowed Twilight and her friends to evade the blasts of magic, blasts that she wasn't clear as to what were meant to do. They galloped in every direction possible: up, backwards, down…it didn't matter what incline they took or how fast they ran, they were always met with firm footing. Pinkie, in particular, hopped from one angle to another, always a step ahead of the malevolent light.

The Thorns didn't seem bothered as well. With the light coming at them, it was clear that the Six Companions had finally caught wind that they were not fellow servants of "Oceanus". Lion Court had a confident smile on his face as he weaved through the blasts, combining deft movement with short teleportation hops. Longstride and Sablesteel were galloping along with the rest of them.

As for Octavia…the earth pony stood on the same spot, playing another melody on her cello. Twilight didn't even need a detection spell to feel the powerful magical energy radiating from the instrument. The blasts flew towards Octavia, only to curve and strike the abyss around her. The cello's deep tones rose even over the pained shrieks and wails from Platinum. They washed over Twilight with such presence that she could feel the music on her coat, like a gentle wave of water falling upon her. On instinct, she looked to Rarity, expecting her friend to recognize the piece again and explain what it might be doing. A second later, she remembered that Rarity was a dozen feet away from her, still dodging and weaving.

The other two companions finally attacked. Hurricane pulled out a large broken blade from his chest and gripped the piece in his mouth. More shards pushed themselves out his broken body. While Platinum floated towards where they were congregated to unleash her spells at as many targets as possible, Hurricane picked a target and gave chase. For some reason, that target was Applejack, who was now galloping away, not just from hostile spells, but a mass of jagged blades. The implication wasn't lost on Twilight. The Graywing Elite preyed on earth ponies so Hurricane was simply going after his standard fare.

Another moment passed and Twilight realized that she didn't need to know what the piece was. She saw the forms of the first three of the Companions distort slightly, as if they were being viewed through a haze of heat. Twilight didn't know if they were being hurt, but their frantic floating slowed down a bit, enough for her friends to get their bearings and plan some form of counterattack.

Rarity's blades flashed across the darkness, making their way towards Platinum from four different angles. Twilight could only hope that whatever inherent magic those mage-blades had, along with Rarity being a bearer of harmony, would be enough to actually strike the target.

The blades found their mark, burying themselves almost completely into spectral flesh. Platinum shrieked so loudly that Twilight feared that her ears would soon start bleeding. No blood flowed from the deep wounds, but Platinum herself winced from them and it clearly focused her hostile attention. The next barrage of purple light homed on Rarity in just as many angles.

"Rarity!" Applejack yelled. She tried to turn sharply and gallop towards her friend, but Hurricane cut her off at every turn. The ghostly pegasus swung his blade in a wide arc, catching the very edge of Applejack's hat. Hurricane followed up with a barrage of broken blades erupting from his hide. With a yelp, Applejack tried a quick turn downwards, but blades came at her from that direction as well.

Twilight concentrated. She needed a shield on Rarity and Applejack. Having them at different directions was a strain enough by itself, but the constant shrieking assaulting her ears and the myriad details she had to be aware of just to keep track of herself, her friends, the Thorns and the Companions, made this frantic battle a nightmare.

The shield around Applejack held strong, saving her from a dozen cuts, if not a complete shredding. The one around Rarity, however, shattered. Twilight gasped. Had she underestimated Platinum's power? Or had she flubbed her shield in her panic? Rarity was quick-witted enough to not rely entirely on the shield to begin with. She had jumped to one side and rolled, but some of the light brushed past the side of her torso. Despite Platinum's din, Twilight heard her friends pained cry. When Rarity got on her hooves again, a small portion of her left side, one that was no bigger than a filly's hoofprint, was covered with glittering crystals. They cracked and shattered into fine dust, leaving a terrible abrasion.

"Help!" That was Pinkie Pie this time. Pansy had taken to going after her. Sablesteel flew in from behind the other ghostly pegasus, her short blades dripping with glowing white liquid.

Twilight shook her head. So many concerns coming at her from every direction…so many-

Smart Cookie and Puddinghead finally descended on them, adding more into the already chaotic encounter. It didn't take much to tell who was who, even if Twilight had never met them before. Smart Cookie, the unfeeling engineer of the machines that were currently fighting the Legion was herself more machine than pony. Her metal parts looked like some horrid skin disease that had gone out of control, consuming her legs, nearly all her torso and half her face. Her mane and tail had turned into needles and wires, her forelegs were massive pointed things with whirring blades sticking out at various angles. While the eye from her "organic" side glowed with the same malevolent purple light, the eye from her metal side glowed red. Her hind legs were free of sharp things, but they were huge, covered in thick armor plating and clearly designed to deliver devastating kicks. In contrast to Platinum's piercing shrieks, Smart Cookie let out a jarring metallic cross between a grind and a buzz.

As for Puddinghead…the mere sight of Puddinghead nauseated Twilight. Some kind of pony-shaped blob of flesh floated towards them. Even "pony-shaped" was stretching it. Puddinghead's flesh sagged and drooped like a badly-molded pastry. It was hard to even find the stumps that were her legs sticking out from her nearly spherical body. Her cheeks were bulged like that of a squirrel's. Juices and saliva dripped from her lips and, when she opened her mouth, a set of rotten teeth greeted Twilight's sight.

Unlike the other companions, who all had pieces of bone exposed and showed signs of gauntness, Puddinghead was all flesh. She wore no attire save for a gaudy, battered hat stuck full of various ruined feathers and various beadwork. What Puddinghead lacked in attire however, she made up in odor. Twilight recoiled from the stench and saw that the others did as well. Even the stoic Longstride wrinkled his nose and shook his head. The musical notes faltered for about a second, but resumed with renewed intensity. The smell of rotten food wafted from Puddinghead: overripe fruit, moldy bread, liquefying greens and putrid cheeses all coalescing into a vile miasma.

Puddinghead did not give chase, even as Smart Cookie set her sights on Lion Court and Rarity. The corpulent ghost floated slowly into the fray, letting the foulness of both her sight and stench do its work. Twilight was about to consider Puddinghead as a more passive threat when the ghost started to open her mouth wider and wider, until Puddinghead's jaw reached her knees. No sound escaped the enormous maw, but disgusting burbling sounds resounded within her belly. Suddenly, both Rarity and Lion Court were struggling to move away from Puddinghead, appearing to be inexorably drawn towards the gaping mouth.

Twilight concentrated on a spell to distract and hurt the ghost. All the while, however, part of her remained anxiously waiting. 'There's one more,' she thought. A blast of bright purple light, a stark contrast to the malevolent waves Platinum used, struck Puddinghead from behind, making her turn around to see who had dared to attack. 'One more…come on out, Clover the Clever, and let's get this fight really going!'

Puddinghead was turning slowly, allowing Twilight to fire several bolts of fire at her. She had listened to the reports given by the Royal Guard about the ghosts of Mount Unicornia. Fire hurt and dispersed the ghosts of the Old Kingdom. She didn't know if the same principle would work on the Six Companions, but it was her best bet.

The bright, arcing trails of white-hot fire that shot out of Twilight's horn were a long way away from the first fireballs she threw back in Bastion City. These were searing lances, crafted for precision and penetration rather than explosions, in case those layers of fat served as some sort of protection.

Puddinghead let out a dry, withering groan, like a too-stuffed pony feeling that last slice of pie coming back up, when the lances struck and seemed to slowly burn through her wretched hide. Twilight nearly hopped at the results. Against the mighty Ridentem Malleorum, she may as well had been chucking fireworks. To see an attack produce something other than glee filled her with elation.

The elation didn't last. When Puddinghead was taking too long to even float towards her, she knew that any attack would not be coming from some kind of physical contact with the ghost. She braced herself when Puddinghead gaped once more, expecting some kind of powerful sucking force. Instead, a billowing mass of noxious yellow smoke escaped from that rotting maw, along with a veritable river of sickly green and brown goo.

That was all Twilight could take. Her own stomach churned and heaved. The next thing she knew, she was vomiting out its scant contents. If that wasn't bad enough, her vomit floated in front of her as a glob of whitish, clear gunk without any direction to "fall". Her stomach continued to churn, but there was nothing left to throw out, leaving her throat raw and her knees shaky while a cesspool's worth of filth continued to head for her. Twilight held her breath and shook her head, trying to clear the tears in her eyes just enough to see where she should be dragging herself to.

"Twilight!"

At this point, Twilight couldn't even tell who that was. She could barely see, her insides hurt and she had to dodge. Whatever gas had escaped from Puddinghead, she must have gotten a whiff of it as her lungs were starting to sting as well. She heard a thick splashing sound, like somepony pouring a tub of mud on a hard floor. For a moment, she feared that she had been struck, but she didn't feel anything touch her coat.

"Come on, Twi, I need your help here."

Twilight finally recognized the voice: Applejack. She wiped the tears from her eyes and saw the brilliant, golden disc hovering in front of Applejack, stopping the flood of filth. The goo hissed and bubbled, but the shield held true without wavering.

"I can't block everything, Twi," Applejack said. "That crazy pegasus is right behind me!"

Sure enough, Hurricane had rounded a turn and was descending on both of them. 'More fire,' Twilight thought. She could already feel the magical blaze stirring within her. Necessity wasn't the only thing pushing her for more fire spells. This wretched abyss was so cold and dark, pressing at her from all sides since she came to this place. It was practically begging for a great defiant blaze, a powerful flame to send this foul dark and everything that lived in it scurrying away, and she was more than happy to will that flame into being.

Even Hurricane's single-minded ferocity and hunger waned at the swirling flames that Twilight surrounded herself. The rush of heat pushed away the foul odors, filling her lungs with warm, fresh air. Twilight could see the glowing light within the ghost's empty sockets dim into tiny points. Despite how dire the situation still was, she couldn't stop a smile from coming. During their climb, she had resisted the temptation to cast spells, knowing that she needed all her energy during the encounters they were bound to have. How long had she been holding it in? It must have been hours, maybe even days. It had to be. She pointed her horn at Commander Hurricane, her smile widening just a bit more as the ghost neighed fiercely and flew backward to avoid the blaze. 'Not so tough when the prey fights back, huh, hunter?' she silently told the ghost. She turned her gaze on Puddinghead and unleased another torrent from the blaze swirling around her. With a groan, Puddinghead also floated away.

Twilight stepped back and surveyed the rest of the fight. She had to assume that, as far as raw magic was concerned, she was their group's best bet. Both Rarity and Lion Court, the only other unicorns around, specialized in the use of mage-blades. Lion Court's enchanting spells were likely useless against fanatical ghosts.

Even just trying to place everyone proved difficult. Applejack stood just a few feet away, the golden disc still in front of her. Twilight was thankful for the protection: less magic to use on shields and more for attacks.

Rainbow Dash and Sablesteel had taken flight and started circling Hurricane as soon as he had established some distance between him and Twilight. Sablesteel dove in and out with her short blades, the glowing liquid dripping from them so copiously, it was as if the pegasus's front fetlocks were bleeding. Rainbow was not using her crossbow. She was, however, glowing even brighter than before. That light was no longer just the luminescence bathing them. Something brighter shone from Rainbow's chest and it was as if this light alone hurt the ghosts before them. Rainbow must have noticed, because she was swooping in with her hooves at every opportunity she got. Hurricane's neighs of rage grew louder and more frequent as he wheeled about, unable to focus on one target or get back to hunt another earth pony.

Princess Platinum's shrieks grew louder, angrier, and more pained. Glinting shards of metal flashed around her from seven different directions, weaving through the dark in elaborate, ever-changing patterns. Rarity's blades danced alongside Lion Court's so gracefully that it seemed as if she had been practicing with the alongside Thorn for years. They slashed and thrust at the fallen, gem-encrusted princess, going right through the spectral flesh several times before flying back to their respective wielders.

Though none of the blades could physically touch her, Platinum recoiled from each strike as if they did. More surprisingly, the bigger blades were not Lion Court's trinity of swords, but Rarity's quartet of daggers. At least, they were supposed to be daggers. A translucent, shining image of a much larger straight blade appeared superimposed over the actual mage blade. The furious look on Rarity's face and the sheer swiftness of how those mage-blades moved showed just how the sight of the pony she portrayed in the past was beyond being a mere outrage.

Platinum's fury had not gone without damage, however. Rarity's forelegs were covered with gashes. A few fragments of brittle crystal still clung around the edges of the horrid wounds. A portion of her chest and the mage coat she wore had also crumbled away. Lion Court was still smiling, but the suit he showed signs of damage as well and its deep red hue did not completely hide the blood.

"Help!"

That was Pinkie's shrill cry once again. By the time Twilight spotted her, she had apparently made a mistake with her hops. Smart Cookie was above her, bringing down a mass of ghostly metal plates and spinning blades on her head. Fluttershy was flying towards her, but wasn't going to make it on time. Two of Longstride's arrows struck true, somehow finding the right gaps where machinery and spectral flesh met in Smart Cookie's body. It wasn't surprising once Twilight gave it some thought. Black Rose expected this fight with the Six Companions. Obviously, she had outfitted her Thorns to be effective against ghosts.

Nevertheless, the arrows did little to slow Smart Cookie down any more than the several shafts already stuck to both her eyes. Twilight sprung to action, creating a roaring wall of fire between Pinkie and Smart Cookie. She wasn't the only one who had moved either. A looped silver chain flew swiftly across the darkness, snagging Pinkie around the torso. With an expert yank, Applejack deposited their friend safely next to them and behind the golden shield.

"Thanks, you two!" Pinkie said cheerily. She went back to fiddling with her stone tablet, tapping it with a hoof and giving it a good shake. "Wherever we are, there's not a lot of ley energy to toss around!"

"Ley whatchamahooey or not, Pinkie, try to not get squished by evil, ghostly machine-ponies!" Applejack said. She continued to scan the chaos, looking for more ponies that might need to be pulled to safety.

Twilight watched as Smart Cookie floated around her wall of fire, recoiling when a few tongues of flame came too close. Being next to Pinkie lifted her spirits a bit, enough to ignore the sickly stink that was crushing her insides. She wiped the last drops of tears from her eyes and concentrated. 'More fire,' she thought. The wall was a dangerous obstacle, but the free range of movement that the abyss provided meant that the ghosts easily slipped past it after the initial shock. Twilight needed a more direct and powerful blast. It was pointless just hurting these things. All it did was make them angrier. She needed to destroy them. She needed a powerful enough blast of heat and light to utterly destroy them, one by one if necessary.

Out of the corner of Twilight's eye, Fluttershy hovered just out of Pansy's reach, the green light of her ruined eye shining brightly and intermingling with the bright rays radiating from her chest. Pansy lifted a quivering hoof and pointed it towards Fluttershy. Twilight watched in horror as the end of that hoof suddenly split open, revealing a circular mouth full of jagged teeth. In a blink, the limb shot towards Fluttershy like a striking snake. The light from Fluttershy's eye glowed even brighter and Pansy recoiled at the sight, but the limb continued its path.

There wasn't a moment to lose. Twilight sent out a great wave of fire to overwhelm Pansy before the limb could strike. The white-hot flames engulfed Pansy, eliciting an agonized scream from the ghost.

And also Fluttershy.

Twilight gasped when her friend cried out and flew back wincing in pain. None of the flames had touched Fluttershy, but the heat was more than enough to hurt her as well.

"Too much fire, Twi!" Applejack yelled. "You'll light us all up the way you're going!"

Twilight looked glanced at the blaze she still had swirling around her. The roaring flames, so warm and comforting when she first conjured them, now looked more like an unruly beast tugging at her measly control. The glare stretched out even to the distance, but the light didn't improve her surroundings. There was nothing for the light to reflect off, leaving them in just as much dark as they would have been if there was no fire.

Pansy emerged from the flames, her mismatched body parts crumbling away at the edges. Twilight bit her lower lip so hard that she could taste blood. This wasn't fair. What was already too much to the point of hurting her friends wasn't enough to destroy even one of their enemies. What could she throw at these monsters that could save all her friends?

A cry from Rainbow drew Twilight's gaze back to where Hurricane was. A trickle of blood ran down Rainbow's shoulder, the droplets forming free floating tiny orbs once they dripped away. One of Hurricane's many blades also dripped the same blood. Sablesteel wasn't unscathed either.

Pinkie PIe had galloped over to Fluttershy, a weak stream of colors flowing from her tablet and encircling Pansy's writhing limbs. Combined with Octavia's disrupting music, the stream slowed Pansy's charge to a crawl, allowing Fluttershy to recover and hover next to Pinkie.

A furious cry from Rarity moved Twilight's attention away. Before she could see where Platinum's location was, however, she closed her eyes and put her hooves to her head. Where should she direct her next spell? And what should it be?

"Twilight!" Applejack called out.

Twilight heard the voice loud and clear, but even she didn't even the courage to answer. Applejack was expecting something she didn't have: some kind of plan, some kind of next move to beat back the Six Companions. She couldn't think of anything. A beam of concentrated light maybe? Something like what Princess Celestia used against Caro Artifex's flesh constructs…no, these ghosts needed to be overwhelmed with heat and light, not cut into pieces. Her brother managed to encapsulate the Crystal Grave to cut off the ghosts its power helped manifest. The Six Companions had no obvious source, but if she could encapsulate them in a globe of magical force, she might be able to make them disappear.

A quick glance around once more easily showed how problematic that would be. Their enemies flitted about in a wild pattern, showing no attempt to work together to bring down their targets. It seemed that "the Six Companions" was more a title of convenience than anything else.

"Twilight!" Applejack called out again. Her urgent cry was barely audible with all the sounds of chaos that accompanied it. The two of them now found themselves at the center of the swirling battle. Twilight focused on Puddinghead, easily the slowest of the lot of them. Closing Puddinghead off may or may not cause her to disappear, but it should at least contain her stench and her caustic vomiting.

Twilight focused on the spell now. She had created shields and barriers before. Shining Armor was famous for his powerful and huge barriers and Princess Celestia specialized in all forms of abjurations. She had learned from the best and it fell to her now to use those teachings. Purple magic enveloped Puddinghead's bloated form, sealing in the noxious clouds and putrid vomit along with her. The disgusting filth filled the sphere quickly, turning it into a mass of sickly yellows and greens swirling in a translucent purple sphere.

"Whew!" Applejack said. She let out a loud exhale and fell on her tail. The golden disc in front of her wavered as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Thanks, the smell was really starting to hurt."

Twilight didn't respond. For such a languid ghost, Puddinghead was struggling mightily against the barrier. The sweat that trickled down Twilight's brow no longer just came from the flames still around her. She gritted her teeth and poured more magic into the spell. This could be Puddinghead's last desperate struggles. If she could just hold on, the ghost would dematerialize and they would be one opponent less.

Even while one of their own was trapped, none of the other companions seemed concerned enough to bother. Not even Smart Cookie, Puddinghead's partner-in-crime when it came to dominating the earth pony clans of old. It was all well and good at that, Twilight continued to struggled just to keep Puddinghead contained. Instead of waning, as she had hoped, Puddinghead's struggles increased. The building amount of vomit and foul gasses was pushing the barrier to its limit.

Twilight clenched her jaw that it started to shake. Her teeth ground against each other until it felt that they would start to crack. This was just one ghost amidst so many! Was she really this incapable of standing up to the worst of Equestria's enemies? Princess Celestia brought them along because they were bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Yet, each time they were faced with a great foe, they struggled and squeaked out things that could barely be called victories. Now, this bloated, slovenly, ghost of a tyrant was proving too much for her? No! She focused even harder, tuning out the chaos of the battle around her. As Puddinghead continued to push out of her barrier, she answered by shrinking it, crushing the ghost with her filth. Her horn crackled with violent surges of purple magic. The barrier was indeed shrinking with Puddinghead still inside it. Just a little more and it was going to be one down in their favor. Just a little more…

"Twilight!"

Twilight cursed at Applejack's persistent calling. She just needed a little more! Less than a minute and they'd be closer to victory!

"Twilight, look out!"

The warning reached Twilight clearly enough. The seconds stretched out in her hesitation. Should she look? If she did, she was bound to lose the focus needed to complete this attack. Puddinghead would break free and she would have expended all this magical energy for nothing. But…

Something horribly cold touched Twilight's back and she knew at once she should have acted sooner. She looked up and saw Applejack galloping towards her. 'Wait…' she thought. The awful realization dawned on her. How could she have forgotten when she was just thinking about it a few minutes ago? There were only five companions attacking them. There was one more coming and that was…

The cold touch went from a single point on her shoulder to a freezing coil around her torso and a numbing blast of icy chill that dispelled the flames around her. Her spell on Puddinghead broke when something spun her around. "One more…" she breathed. She tried to scream, but the sudden freezing touch seemed to squeeze her voice out of her before she could use it. "Clover the Clever…"

"Twilight!" Applejack shouted again.

Twilight stared in disbelief. She was expecting a hideous ghost, a mangled mockery of a pony just like the other companions. She hadn't expected this visage.

A morass of black tentacles wriggled before Twilight. A particularly long one, as thick as an oak branch, had wrapped itself around her torso while another waved menacingly at Applejack. A dozen smaller ones twisted among themselves like worms. It was the thing the tentacles were attached to that left Twilight breathless. She had thought for a second that Clover the Clever had turned into some kind of squid. Instead, she saw that these tentacles were some kind of growth springing out of a huge chunk of glowing ice, the size of a house. How did this enormous thing sneak up on her? Were they all so focused on the five?

Within the massive chunk of ice, Twilight could see the figure of a pony, frozen in a twisted shape that would have been fatal to a living pony. That had to be Clover the Clever, the twice-betrayer who turned on her master and then her companions. It seemed that her broken soul was drawn to this abyss in the end.

The second large tentacle also wrapped itself around Twilight's torso. With her secure, they started to pull her closer to the ice. "A-Applejack…" Twilight could only croak. The numbing cold sapped the strength and magic from her body. She tried a spell, but her horn only sparked feebly.

"Twilight!"

Applejack's voice sounded like it was so far away. Twilight made a feeble effort to pry the tentacles around her and accomplished nothing. Another second passed and they were pressing her against the ice. The cold stung her face like a thousand needles. To her horror, the ice yielded like some kind of blob, letting her sink deeper into the chunk without breaking.

"Twilight!"

The cry was hardly more than a whisper. Twilight let out one more sigh, the best she could do as a shout before blackness overcame her vision.


	59. Destiny

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 59: Destiny**

"Twi-!"

Applejack's furious cry caught in the back of her throat and burned there along with the leftover vomit and nausea. She choked back a sob and turned her attention on the monster that made her fail to save her friend. Puddinghead opened her foul mouth to snake-like proportions. No foulness erupted from the maw this time, just a hideous gurgling sound. To Applejack, it sounded as if the ghost was laughing at what had happened.

The golden disc fluctuated just one more time before Applejack let the outrage spur her on. Twilight wasn't dead. There was no way that Twilight was dead. Whatever that thing was that swallowed her was going to suffer the worst case of indigestion it has ever had in its ghostly life. Then, it was going to spit Twilight back out, covered in disgusting ghost-vomit, but as good as before.

Not everypony seemed to have even noticed what had happened. The arrival of this sixth ghost had stirred the others into a frenzy. While Rainbow Dash and Sablesteel had been keeping Hurricane busy with their alternating attacks, they were now desperately dodging as the ghostly pegasus let out a fearsome neigh and began to hack about wildly. Several sky blue feathers flew up and floated in different directions after a particularly close swipe.

Pansy...Applejack couldn't find where the other ghostly pegasus was. There was, however, this exploding mass of spectral flesh chasing after Fluttershy. The pegasus had stopped using their powers to slow the enemy down in favor of just trying to stay out of reach of the bizarre barrage of body parts flying her way. A fleshy pod, possibly a leg or something else, twisted in the dark and looped towards Fluttershy. The mouth at its end snarled, slavered, and snapped. Pinkie Pie had started galloping towards Smart Cookie, but Applejack wasn't sure what she could accomplish.

"Twilight!"

Rarity's cry was enough to show she had noticed. There was little she could do, however. Some of the many, many gems attached to Platinum had detached themselves and started to whirl around the ghostly unicorn in a storm of jagged, crystalline shards. The few openings that both Rarity and Lion Court used to attack with their blades had disappeared.

Applejack only had that short moment to take in all their problems before she had to concentrate on her own predicament. She had lost Twilight, and that meant the loss of a lot of magical support. Without any shields beyond the disc, every attack their enemies made now seemed twice as dangerous and twice as frightening. The mass of fire, for all its worrisome blaze, now seemed desperately needed. Applejack grit her teeth. Whatever Twilight was up to now, it better be quick or they might all be dead. She glanced at the icy thing that had swallowed her friend, hoping for something, anything, that might be able to help pull Twilight out.

The new arrival had to be the ghost of Clover the Clever. She was the only companion that hadn't showed up. But the thing didn't even look like it was ever a pony at some point. It resembled nothing more than a huge chunk of glowing ice. A mass of tentacles sprouted from one part of it, like a stubborn plant that had take root on a boulder. The cold that wafted from the thing felt as if it gripped Applejack's heart.

The gurgling laugh from Puddinghead turned into the rumble of building gas and Applejack knew that there was no more opportunity to think things through. She had to do her part. For now, she and the rest of her friends had to survive. Once Twilight fought free, they would regroup and fight back.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash could only watch in horror as the tentacles sprouting from the mass of ice that had just showed up grabbed Twilight Sparkle. Even that moment, however, was rushed. She had to look away and concentrate on her safety. Hurricane had picked up the pace and his wild swings, and the many awkwardly positioned blades coming out of his body was making it more and more difficult to dodge, let alone find some way to attack. One blade whistled past her wings, cutting loose a few feathers.<p>

Seeing Hurricane fight even harder did little to dampen Rainbow's spirit. She had plenty more to dish out. Despite flying desperately for a while now, she was as fresh as when she started this climb, or descent. She felt something solid every time she dove in there and kicked. Even her crossbow bolts, whenever she could find enough purchase to reload and aim, were sheathed in the weird light that had enveloped her. She could see Hurricane recoil with each strike. These chipping attacks will eventually wear her enemy out. She just needed time. Time that apparently wasn't going to be given to her. The others looked like they were beginning to tire. Nearby, Sablesteel was diving in, covering for her while she hovered there, torn between continuing this pattern or rushing in to save Twilight. Even the thorn was starting to breathe hard. "Sablesteel!" she called out.

"I have eyes, Rainbow Dash!" Sablesteel called back. "Go help your purple friend!"

Rainbow didn't need to be told twice. She didn't know this thorn that much, well she didn't really know any of them, but they were dependable when it came to fighting. Sablesteel's blades were coated with some kind of glowing liquid that hurt even ghosts and she was really good at dodging. Rainbow's eyes threatened to stray towards another thorn, to see how he was doing, but she clenched them tightly for a second and refocused. Sablesteel didn't need to destroy Hurricane, she just needed to keep him busy. 'Hold on, Twilight!' she thought.

The ice looked immense, even from a distance. It looked big and hard enough to take on a catapult shot head on. Rainbow didn't have a catapult, only her hooves and a crossbow. A sonic rainboom could probably shatter a large portion of it, if she was willing to turn into a red splatter floating in the abyss.

That didn't matter right now. It certainly didn't stop Applejack from flailing at the ice with that fancy silver chain. She flapped her wings harder. Even if she had to beat the ice apart with her hooves, then so be it.

* * *

><p>It was the harsh, glaring white light piercing even her eyelids that finally told Twilight that she was awake. She opened her eyes, expecting the worst: an icy tomb, a ring of enemies surrounding her, the gates to the Eternal Herd. None of those things greeted her once the light receded and cleared her vision.<p>

Twilight found herself standing in the middle of an opulent, circular chamber, the sort meant to host a meeting or dinner for a good number of ponies. At the center was a round table of fine oak wood, trimmed with gold and surrounded by twelve chairs of the same material and construction. The surface was intricately engraved with pictures of bunches of grapes, apples, various grains. Twelve sets of gold dinnerware lay ready for use. A deep blue carpet, soft enough to leave Twilight's hooves a little tingly, covered the stone floor while various tapestries, each depicting some setting of every day pony life: from a harvest, to a city scene, to some kind of magic contest, hung over the walls.

The sudden transition from the fetid darkness and confusion of fighting the Six Companions at the edges of the abyss to this opulent place left Twilight reeling and wary. This had to be a trap. She didn't see a door, or any windows. For all the luxury it showed, this chamber was still a prison. She looked around and cast her first spells. Obviously enough, this place was heavily enchanted, once she could get a feel of what spells were in effect, she could get to work.

"Cease your pointless pawing at my spells, pony, you're not going to leave this place."

Twilight froze and turned around. There was a pony in the room with her now. She didn't feel any teleportation spell, or hear anything before those words. "Who are you?" she asked on instinct. Even as the words left her lips she already knew the answer.

"Clover," was the quick reply. "The Clever to many. The Prophet, the Great, the Wise, the Powerful, the Fair...they've accumulated over the course of my rule."

Twilight did indeed recognize Clover the Clever through the light purple coat and the angry, entitled glare from Starswirl's final moments. Clover was far from the hideous shade that the other companions seemed reduced to. She didn't look incorporeal to begin with, and no sign of decay touched her appearance. Her straight, dark purple mane was cut short and slicked back for efficiency, in sharp contrast to the elaborate curls of her fellow unicorn companion: Platinum. Instead of a simple, burlap hood and cloak, however, she wore a majestic, woven cloak of blue, with intricate, swirling patterns of silver, like watery waves, threaded through the whole piece. It was as if Clover the Clever had managed to take a piece of the ocean itself and turned it into a cloak and hood. Twilight expected a set of equally marvellous shoes, but Clover's legs were completely hidden by the long, sweeping cloak.

As for what she said, Clover's words didn't sound like boasting. To Twilight, it sounded more like Clover was irritated that the pony she was talking to didn't already know these things. No outrage marred Clover's face either, not like that time with Starswirl. It was all imperiousness. In her mind, Clover must think she was the greatest pony of all talking to a worthless peasant. Twilight was happy to change the mood. In a way, she was glad that Clover seemed more lucid than the other companions. This was not an opportunity to be missed. "What about 'the betrayer'?" she asked. "Did that also just accumulate?"

"I have never betrayed anypony," Clover said, her eyes narrowing. Some of that outrage was back now. Clover wasn't the only one feeling it either.

"You poisoned Starswirl the Bearded!" Twilight shouted. "You betrayed your master!"

"I punished him for his betrayal!" Clover snarled. "A teacher is supposed to elevate his student to greatness, not drag her down!"

"He was trying to save you," Twilight said, her voice lowering. It wasn't fear that cowed her. It was pointless to turn this into a shouting match.

"He was trying to save himself," Clover said. "He was trying to save his legend, to keep me from surpassing him, even if it meant hiding the way to our heritage." She gestured around her, to the many tapestries of what looked like life in the Old Kingdom and its riches, before turning her gaze back to Twilight. "We have always been meant to serve the Deep Father. Starswirl tried to prevent that and died for it. Now, it is your turn to serve, little pony."

"What do you want from me?" Twilight asked. She crouched low, her horn glowing for a defensive spell.

"I want your body." Clover took a stepped forward, her. "It's strong and warm with life. We are powerful in these ghostly forms, but limited. We can do so much more alive" Her horn started to glow as well. Clover the Clever's magic was nearly the same shade as Twilight's, but the crackling purple energy was tainted with wisps of black twisting around it like worms.

"I'm not giving you anything!" Twilight fired her first spell, a simple but powerful bolt of force. She wasn't sure yet as to what Clover the Clever was capable of, but the reaction to this attack should be telling.

And telling it was. The bolt fizzled against a black and purple shield that materialized at the very last second. Clover looked barely annoyed by this brazen and direct attack. "I wasn't asking," she said. "Know your place, lesser servant. You should be honored that your sacrifice will accomplish so much for the Deep Father's chosen."

"I wouldn't sacrifice a bent paper clip to Oceanus," Twilight said. She didn't like the ease by which Clover dealt with her probing attack, but she was far from beaten.

"For each blasphemy you speak, I will make the transference more painful," Clover said. The magic around her horn flared up and Twilight braced for an attack. However, just as quickly as it had brightened, the tainted light around Clover the Clever's horn faded into nothing. Twilight raised an eyebrow, but she already had a shield up. Clover's lips twisted from tightly-pressed annoyance to a confident smile before she began to speak in a loud voice. "O, Deep Father, your faithful daughter implores you!"

"Shut up..." Twilight was tempted to drop the shield and attack. Clover wasn't using any magic, at least not the sort of she could feel. And those words...she hated them. They reminded her of a heritage she wanted no part of. How could Clover the Clever serve a monster like Oceanus with such fervor? She wanted to intone a quick blast of lightning to shut this ghost of a mare up and get out of here. Yet, the way Clover spoke also filled her with foreboding. This was not magic, but it was something.

"Here stands before me one of your wayward children! I beseech you for authority over her, so that she may know your greatness!"

A strange sensation touched Twilight's horn, like a point of cold that quickly washed down her body with a heavy, oppressive chill. That was it, detectable magic or not, she was under attack. She aimed and cast her spell, expecting a sudden lightning bolt to the face to surprise even Clover the Clever in the middle of such a melodramatic speech.

Except the spell didn't cast.

Twilight glanced at her horn. The magic was still there, still ready to be cast. What had happened? Did Clover-

"Kneel, Twilight," Clover said.

Twilight knelt. She had already completed the motion before she even realized that her body was moving on its own. She tried to stand, to jump out of this humiliating pose before this monstrous mare even if she had to rip her knees out. Her legs to refuse, they did not even tremble out of effort. It was only after her third futile attempt did she notice something else. "What did you do to me?" she asked. "And how do you know my name?"

"The Deep Father knows all his children by name," Clover said softly. "It was given to me so I may command you. As a parent gives authority to the most responsible child to manage the unruly ones, so I have been given power over you."

"That's ridiculous! You can't-!"

"Speak in a respectful tone!"

"You can't just have power over me." Twilight ground her teeth when her voice came out calm and polite.

"Daughters obey their father," Clover said. "Struggle all you want. You cannot fight the natural order of all things."

"What do you-" Twilight choked, the only sign that she was trying to gain some control over her voice. She could only guess, that she was only able to speak at this point because it amused Clover. "What do you want from me?"

"We've been over that," Clover said. "I will trap your soul in here and make use of your body." Her horn flashed with magic as she telekinetically willed Twilight's face close to hers. "Enjoy the last sensations of warmth, Twilight."

* * *

><p>Rarity's mage blades spun erratically above her, barely able to maintain the slow moving circle she kept them in when they weren't flying around. She scraped off a crystallized portion of her torso with one hoof, wincing as the fresh wound began to sting. The wounds hurt less when she didn't destroy the crystallization, but she didn't want to risk the chance that those portions would spread like some kind of infection. The increasing number of agonizing patches of raw, bloody patches made it clear that something terrible had happened. She didn't have to look around to guess what it was. Moments ago, she had relied on occasional shielding from Twilight to deflect the worst of Platinum's crystallizing attacks whenever evasion failed her. Now, the shielding support was gone this development made even more fortunate by Platinum apparently going berserk.<p>

Waves of purple energy wafted from Platinum's horn, like malevolent clouds of sparkling lights. Rarity had to been falling back more and more as opposed to charging in and slicing this ghost up. Even with the enhancements she was still figuring out, it didn't look like she had done much damage. Each of her blades served as the core of a brilliant, translucent blade of energy. It annoyed her that she wasn't clear on the specifics of how to manage this new development in her mage-blade wielding, but she was happy to use it on the fly for now. Also mildly annoying was that Lion Court had looked at her new weapons with nothing more than a pleased smile instead of shocked disbelief.

As for Lion Court, he wasn't faring a great deal better than Rarity. His pristine red coat, which he had been so careful to keep spotless earlier, was tattered in places already. Blotches of darker red showed against the fabric. Despite his injuries, Lion Court's smile did not even waver. He galloped past an advancing cloud of magic and stood next to Rarity. "It seems we're at the end of our rope, my dear Rarity," he said. "The Element of Magic's bearer is dead and we're not far behind."

Rarity took a breath as deep and as long as she could. The cold of the abyss seemed to have found a way to seep into her lungs and crush them when Lion Court said those. She wanted to stab him for being so flippant, but she swallowed the indignant rage. That couldn't be true. Even if Twilight's support had suddenly stopped, that was impossible. Something must simply be distracting Twilight and this sadistic stallion was simply insisting in his mind games even during such a dangerous time. She suppressed the urge to look around for Twilight as well. She couldn't afford to look away from Platinum while keeping the other companions in her periphery. Another cloud of crystallization came at her, forcing her to gallop to the side. To her annoyance, Lion Court kept close. Must he do this now? "You're not bothered about dying down here with us," she said.

"My death is seven hundred years overdue, my dear Rarity," Lion Court said. His blades flew out, somehow still finding gaps amidst all of the clouds to stab at Platinum. "I would have preferred more of a spectacle and several more pints of blood, but this will do."

Rarity was about to follow suit with her blades, but reconsidered. Even with her enhancements, she wasn't going to bring down this ghost with more direct strikes. She needed more, they all needed more. She could hear the desperation among her friends even without looking. "Cover for me," she finally said. Lion Court merely nodded and charged Platinum despite the clouds coming his way.

Rarity finally tore her eyes away from Platinum to search for Twilight. Immediately, she spotted the enormous chunk of ice. Applejack was galloping a circle around it, dodging clouds of yellowish haze. Great gobs of vomit flew at her, splashing against the golden disc in front. Applejack answered by hurling her chain, not at Puddinghead, but at the chunk of ice. "Twilight!" Applejack yelled. "I know you're still alive! Come on out, we need you!" The chain struck the ice hard like a whip, but did not even leave a crack.

'So that's where she is,' Rarity thought. She sent all of her blades towards the ice, converging the thrusts into a single point. "Twilight!" she shouted. She glanced to her sides. Her cry and Applejack's seemed to have caught the others' attention as well.

* * *

><p>The slurp and snap of a dozen fanged mouths coming at her, left little to Fluttershy's imagination as to what would happen if she slowed down. She didn't even have enough leeway to glance back at the hideous shape that Pansy had taken.<p>

Even fleeing for her life was a confused and difficult balancing act. She flew as hard as she could to escape Pansy, but she knew better than to fly too far from where the others were. Terrifying as being caught by these ghosts was, the thought of becoming lost in this abyss, to wander this blackness forever, was more so. She circled all the fighting, watched as Rainbow Dash and Sablesteel circled the horribly maimed Hurricane while Longstride shot at Smart Cookie.

She had also circled in time to see Twilight being pulled into a giant chunk of ice by long, writhing tentacles.

Without a second thought, Fluttershy winged towards the ice. She felt a few drops of drool land on one of her legs as one mouth barely missed its bite. Clover the Clever. She knew that on instinct, felt it more within her than through any kind of deduction. That thing was Clover the Clever, the miserable instigator of all of this...this towering pile of shit.

Fluttershy flapped her wings harder, ignoring the strain on her shoulders and her wildly beating heart. The cold wafting from the ice was nothing to the sudden boiling in her blood. Clover the Clever had swallowed her friend. The nerve of this worthless, overweening, primping little worm of a filly! She was this world's version of Solis Coruscaria, a clingy nag prostrating herself before Oceanus, leading a cult of slimy, self-absorbed ponies pretending to serve when all they truly wanted was to gorge themselves on Oceanus's power. They were all the same: Solis Coruscaria, Lunalux Umbra, Abysso Spatiator, the Six Companions...sycophants, slaves, parasites, the lot of them. She was going to take a lot of pleasure breaking Clover the Clever and showing her what it really meant to wield the power of Oceanus.

Fluttershy's wings slowed and her eyes widened. The sudden stream of angry, even cruel, thoughts felt so natural that she barely even noticed that something strange was going on. Why were these names so familiar? Why did it matter how they served Oceanus?

A hiss followed by a spit from behind her quickly told Fluttershy that Pansy was catching up again. She flapped her wings again, wincing as the burn in her muscles worsened. Slowing down had been a bad idea. It wasn't just Pansy catching up to her, fatigue was as well. She shut her eyes for a moment. 'Please,' she whispered mentally. 'I need more. I need more than just slowing them down with the Stare. Lok'horus, other Fluttershy, who or whatever you are...please.'

Again, there was no response. Again, the prospect that she was, in fact, that other Fluttershy came to mind. In that case, she didn't need to beg some other pony...or thing. She could do it herself. She could still feel the outrage simmering within, the need to put these pretenders in their place. Again, her thoughts were somehow hers and not hers at once. She had stood ready to serve the very moment Prince Oceanus was born. She had never needed to be impressed by his prowess, or his position as firstborn and most likely heir. And, when the moment came, she cut the tie, hoped that doing so would save some still redeemable fragment of him. When the power of abyss finally consumed him, Oceanus may be reborn somehow.

Fluttershy shook her head. The ice was coming ever closer. She could see Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash attacking it, leaving the Thorns to deal with the other ghosts. 'That's not me!' she wanted to protest. 'I've never met Oceanus or these other ponies! I've never served him! I don't...'

"Fluttershy!"

It was Octavia who had called out. She had stopped playing that disruptive, slow piece and turned towards Pansy's direction. Her bow moved rapidly in short, sharp motions. Instead of a pleasant or ominous melody, a clash of dissonant notes rippled through the air. Something struck Pansy from Octavia's direction, shoving the ghost back as if she had been struck by several boulders. The attack didn't seem to do much harm, but it allowed Fluttershy to put some distance between her and Pansy again. A second wave of painful, clashing notes rippled through the air as Octavia pushed Pansy farther back.

The ice was barely more than a stone's throw away now. Fluttershy looked at the ice and recognized the taint that marked it as a product of the power of abyss, the sickened version of Oceanus's power of water. The others were making little headway against destroying the stuff. They may as well be attacking an iceberg with salad forks. She had to do her part, but what could she do? The Eye of Fear was useless against unfeeling ice. 'Slipshod, half-assed, patchwork assembly of Oceanus's second-hoof leftovers...' Fluttershy felt the outrage grow and began to understand. There was more to what was left of Lok'horus than just the Eye of Fear. She had but to reach in. The ice loomed closer, but something else loomed from within. She had unleashed some dark thing within. The results of tampering with the power of Oceanus surrounded her. Was she going to risk doing even more than what she had already done? In the end, would she be joining these ghosts?

_"It wouldn't matter one bit if you're the 'remains' or whatever of this Lok'horus. You are our friend and you've chosen to deal with this stranger aspect of you for all our sake. That is well and good enough."_

Fluttershy closed her eyes and searched within. She had chosen to do this. For her friends, she would take in even this darker aspect of her. No longer did she try to hold back the memories or thoughts. Lok'horus's power was still tainted with the power of abyss, but he endured pain, madness, and even being broken down further to do what many had given up on: to hold on to a tiny fragment of the power of water until it could be purified. Though this aspect of her was still cruel and dangerous, this act of kindness, she admired. For her friends, and for that goal, she would take in the last remnants of Lok'horus. A rising sense of power filled her from within. As she came close enough to touch the ice, she exhaled.

A stream of vapor, exploded from Fluttershy's mouth, striking the ice forcefully and causing several cracks to form. "Twilight!" she shouted as loud as she could.

* * *

><p>It surprised even Pinkie Pie when she had chosen to leave the protection of Applejack's shield to go after Smart Cookie. She didn't have much, if anything at all, to throw at this pony-shaped machine. Or was it machine-shaped pony? She was certain, however, that she wasn't going to spend this fight hiding behind a magic shield, whether it was Twilight's or Applejack's. Though she had avoided looking earlier out of fear of what the ley lines looked like in the abyss, she now looked as hard as she could for ley energy to use. Ley energies were weak here, which was weird given that they were very deep underground at this point. They should be surrounded by the stuff!<p>

A loud, metallic grind signalled another attack from Smart Cookie. A pair of spectral circular saws flew at Pinkie from two different directions. She hopped over one, landed upside down on the abyss above her, and then ducked the second. She thought about just kicking Smart Cookie like what Dash was doing to Hurricane, but figured that she'd probably just lose a limb or two without hurting this ghost. 'What can I do?' It seemed to Pinkie that she was perpetually asking that question. Just as she had thought she found some means to fight back, she's back to square one without anything to channel.

Pinkie didn't feel the same heavy helplessness as she did when Sablesteel hurt her back in Canterlot. Not this time. She remembered Rainbow Dash gently pushing her on when she had collapsed on their way up, or down, here. Her friends believed that she had to be here. She believed so too. It was just a matter of finding out. She took a moment to look around. Something odd was going on. There was a giant chunk of ice, Pinkie guessed that was the sixth of the Six Companions. Applejack was whipping the thing with her chain while keeping Puddinghead back with her shield. Rarity was stabbing at it, Rainbow was smacking it with her hooves, and it looked like Fluttershy was spitting on it. With a lot of spit.

Despite all the noise, Pinkie could still hear the distinct whizz of arrows flying and the soft thunks of their tips punching through ghostly metal. With the others busy with the other Companions, she had only Longstride for help. His shots were unerringly accurate, and nearly ever joint and opening on Smart Cookie had, at least, one shaft sticking out. But even all the shots barely hurt and slowed Smart Cookie and Pinkie knew that Longstride did not have an unlimited supply of arrows. 'Think, Pinkie! She's a machine! Maybe there's a button you can push to make her blow up!"

A trio of darts flew towards Pinkie as she galloped towards Smart Cookie, followed by two more saw blades. Without slowing down, she leaped, spun and even cart-wheeled past the deadly projectiles. Even without her twitchy tail or any other aspect of Pinkie Sense, it was getting easier and easier to pick out where these attacks were going. She ducked under the swings of Smart Cookie's massive forelegs and glanced up as she ran. All she saw were more blades and darts coming after her. 'Okay, maybe not a smart idea. Come to think of it, why would anypony bother making a button that would blow themselves up?'

"Pinkie Pie, if you have nothing to attack it with, move out of its range!" Longstride called out.

"Hold on!" Pinkie yelled back. She tilted her head and felt a dart fly through her mane. "I think I can find something here!"

Longstride didn't reply. For a moment, it looked like he was staring at her in surprise. The moment passed and he was readying another arrow. Pinkie concentrated on the enemy. Maybe it wasn't the machine bits she had to focus on. Underneath all that gadgetry, Smart Cookie was still the ghost of a ruthless, earth pony clan leader. Maybe there was...

Pinkie's eyes widened as she spotted the multi-colored energies coursing just underneath all the metal plating. She hadn't noticed it before because she was worried about all the spikes and blades. Two more blades whizzed past her. Wait, did she dodge them or did Smart Cookie just outright miss? She didn't have time to fixate on that, however. She couldn't lose this train of thought.

Copper Mane had talked about the gift of channelling and how it was found in earth ponies. Though the lore of spotting it, bringing it out, and developing it was a secret among the true earth ponies, the actual gift for it could be found in any earth pony. There could be potential channelers among the chosen right now, dismissing their odd moments of channelling as silly little quirks. Pinkie shook her head. Anyway, Rock Maven was the strongest channeler ever so...

More blades flew at Pinkie. She was really getting bothered now. She was starting to lose what she was going on about. She swung a hoof and struck one blade, sending it spinning back to Smart Cookie. A spark of ley energy flew from where the blow had struck. 'Huh?' she thought. What did she just do? She stared in amazement as the blade she deflected struck Smart Cookie soundly, opening up a rip across the machine-pony's flank. Wait, that was something too. Smart Cookie hurt Smart Cookie, so if they could...

A thunderous roar blew out the last of Pinkie's train of thought. She looked towards the direction of that bellow, expecting the seventh of the six companions to come out.

**"Get off me! Get your stinking, slimy souls off me!"**

That didn't sound like a ghost. That sounded like Prince Terrato. Prince Terrato in his baddest mood yet. From where the shout had come from, she spotted a multitude of red-glowing points of light flying in different directions; one was heading right for her. Pinkie Pie felt a rush of heat blow past her and towards where the ice was. 'Oh no...' It didn't have to take any Pinkie sense to know that something terrible was about to happen. She looked towards her friends, who were all in the path of that blast of heat. She galloped towards them at once. "Longstride, keep Smart Cookie busy for me!" she shouted without looking back Every strand of hair on her body was rising. "Girls, watch out!" she yelled towards her friends. The shout had also given them pause. "Scatter!"

The others did as they were warned. Pinkie Pie jumped to one side at the last moment. A great blast of heat flew past Pinkie Pie. So intense was its passage that she cried out in pain as if a blast of fire had struck her. She looked at what had flown past and gaped.

An enormous, pointed shard of stone, the size of a pillar fit for the Royal Palace, and covered in glowing red cracks, struck the ice. The point penetrated deeply, sinking the shard almost halfway through. While the others stared Pinkie was already standing next to them. She could see the thousands of cracks, pulsing with red light. The heat was almost unbearable. They had to back away to make sure that their faces weren't scorched. The frightening premonition was not gone, however.

"Watch out!" Pinkie Pie shouted again.

Applejack had taken to standing in front of the group protectively. It was a good move as it turned out. The massive shard exploded with a fiery, blinding blast and a deafening boom. Pinkie could only duck and cover her face. She screamed, but the explosion was so loud that she didn't even hear herself. To her surprise, and relief, she didn't even feel any heat from the explosion. Once the glare eased, she looked up and saw that Applejack's disc had saved them.

"What in tarnation was that?" Applejack mouthed.

Pinkie couldn't hear her friend with her ears still buzzing, but guessed that it was something that Applejack would say. She looked towards the ice. The explosion had knocked the ghost dozens of feet away, but Pinkie saw that an enormous hole had been gouged into the stuff. She didn't know why everypony was bent on breaking through this ice, but she quickly jumped in to attack it with her hooves. "Come on, everypony!" she yelled. "Just a little more!"

The others swiftly followed.

* * *

><p>The numbing cold washing over her body made even consciousness a struggle for Twilight. Her body wouldn't do anything she wanted it to. There was no freezing draft or any magical signs. It was as if all the warmth within her was leaking away.<p>

"So much vitality," Clover said. "Wasted on a lowly, disobedient daughter."

"Why..." Twilight moved her lips with difficulty, as if they were covered with a layer of frost. Still, that she could even speak meant that Clover enjoyed giving her this small freedom. Perhaps Clover was expecting her to beg for mercy at some point. "Why do

you insist on serving Oceanus?"

"Because I am meant to. We are meant to. Has anypony ever planted an acorn and grown an elm, Twilight? The order of all things guides me. It is our destiny to take the Deep Father's power upon ourselves. Who do you serve? Lexarius the invader and his ilk? Envious filth unable to bear that our father created such creatures of potential? Which one of us is on the wrong path, I wonder?"

"Look at where you are." Twilight shouted as loud as she could, but her voice still came out polite and even. "You're trapped in the edge of the abyss. You are not anywhere even near Oceanus, certainly not by his right side. Your 'destiny' is a horrible fate your delusions of grandeur have brought down upon you."

The confident smile finally slipped from Clover the Clever's face. Twilight recognized that slip, the same sort of slip showed during the final moments of Starswirl the Bearded's life. "You sound like my old master," Clover said softly. Her voice rose when she spoke again. "Your prattle sounds exactly like that bell-wearing clown's!"

"Don't you insult him," Twilight said.

"Then tell me, Twilight," Clover said, her grin back although a little forced. "Tell me why he died a broken old stallion while I went on to achieve greatness! Tell me why you're the one kneeling before me!"

Twilight wanted to make her retort. She wanted to put this insane, dead mare in her place for her disrespect, her delusions, and, most of all, the monstrosity of what she brought down on her fellow ponies. If only she could move. If only she could stop herself from acting like some subservient little filly. Why couldn't she fight back? All this magical potential everypony else seemed to see in her, all the training and fights she had gone through...why couldn't they amount to anything against Clover's strange power? Was this...was this truly the might of Oceanus? Was this unstoppable, unmatchable force the fruit of giving yourself to ponykind's so-called father? The thought of it choked out her anger.

"What's the matter, Twilight?" Clover asked. "No answer? Am I going to drink the last of your warmth with you silent?"

It was more than just the cold that numbed Twilight's body. More than just this mysterious power that kept her motionless. For one more time, she summoned every ounce of magic she could to break free of this inaction that Clover forced on her. She was supposed to be the bearer of the Element of Magic! The others had shown some incredible power harnessed from within them: Applejack's shield, Rarity's enormous blades, even Rainbow Dash's strange resilience and nigh immunity to the burgeoning effects of the abyss. If she ever needed such a thing, now was the time. She strained internally, unable to clench her jaw or shut her eyes tight, she willed her magic to come forth, to break loose in a raw magical blast. Anything would do. Anything.

Nothing happened.

Drained and helpless, Twilight didn't bother saying anything else.

"I know that silence well," Clover said. "Your loss was inevitable, Twilight, I stand in the full favor of our Deep Father, while you are all alone."

Just as Twilight's vision started to dim for what she knew was the final time, a powerful jolt sent both her and Clover sliding to one side. A wave of searing heat struck Twilight so hard that, for a moment, she had thought she had taken a fireball blast. She could almost feel her fur ignite. She cried out, but event that cry was moderate and respectful. Tears sprang to her eyes, but the look of surprise on Clover's face was one to savor. She wished she could see what had struck this room, but even turning her neck was impossible. The cold within her was still there, but this sudden heat fought it back just a little bit at the cost of severe burns.

"Wretches..." Clover whispered. "Even the simplest tasks and you-!" She stopped herself and turned her attention back to Twilight. "It is such a trial sometimes, leading this foals." Her lips twisted into a smirk. "Six Companions they called us...ponies actually thought we were equal."

"Twilight!"

Applejack's voice, despite how faint it was made something lurch within Twilight. Her friends. Her friends were nearby. She wanted to shout back, to tell them that she was fine...no, to tell them that she needed help. Clover was crushing her with the power of Oceanus and she couldn't fight back.

"Twilight!"

That was Rarity this time. It wasn't just their voices she was hearing. She could hear the clink of metal striking something hard and brittle. Ice! The clinks grew louder and more persistent. The look of annoyance on Clover's face turned to concern. Though her lips remained unmoving, Twilight was already smiling within at the sight of this. Her friends were close and Clover was no longer so smugly assured of victory.

"Twilight!"

Other voices joined in on the chorus: Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy...all of them were going to break her out of this place. The worry on Clover's face continued to grow. It was enough for Twilight to try again. "You're wrong," she said. She didn't mind anymore that she was speaking softly. "You're not standing in Oceanus's full favour...and I'm not alone!" The rise in her voice fed the tiniest cinder of hope Twilight had left. Clover's power wasn't unstoppable. The cold lessened with her efforts. She wasn't going to let this ghost suck out her life just yet!

" Blasphemous wretch!" Clover hissed. "How dare you challenge me?"

"I can," Twilight said. She felt something else now, not just the small bit of her strength left within, but soothing warmth coming from the same direction as that fierce heat, washing over her like a soothing balm, making her forget the burns on her hide. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a pale wisp of light, gold like the disc Applejack could summon. She could also see other colors as more light seeped through what looked like a small, leaking crack across the room: pink, white, green, light blue...the light touched and her and she grew strong from it. "You paint a pretty picture of yourself, Clover the Clever, but I see what you really are. You're not the greatest of Oceanus's daughters, you're a ghost stuck between this world and the next, waiting for Oceanus to maybe notice you when he comes by here to get his weapon!" Twilight's voice rose even louder. She could feel a tremble in her legs now.

_"The Deep Father cares nothing for us. We are as mosquitoes to him, trying to nourish ourselves with his blood only to find it full of poison. He does not 'gift' pests."_

Twilight stood up. The warmth upon her coalesced with the warmth within her, banishing the Clover's cold. "Your amazing 'authority' is nothing more than fumes that you sucked from whatever Oceanus left behind. Don't you get it? Your house of cards 'everlasting kingdom' rose and fell while Oceanus slept through it all. What are your leftovers compared to this?" She raised her horn and the magic surged forth. Not just her magic, the magic she shared with her friends. Bright purple arcs exploded from her, surging across the room, running through the floors and all the fancy decorations. A cry of rage escaped from Clover, who had raised a shield to defend herself from the falling debris and the blasts of purple magic. Twilight's voice lowered, not out of any influence of Clover, but of her own volition. "You're the one who's all alone. No wonder you're trapped in a tomb of ice. That's what happens when you cut yourself off from others. You can't even get help from your 'companions'!"

"I'll show you the kind of help I can summon!" Clover snarled. The folds of her cloak ruffled and stirred beneath her. To Twilight's disgust, it wasn't legs the appeared beneath that cloak, but more vile tentacles. She wasn't even surprised anymore. Nor was she scared.

"That's nothing." Twilight listened as her friends called out one more time. The clinking grew louder and louder, the warmth grew stronger and more comforting. She looked to the source, a massive crack of melted ice where a myriad colors shone forth. She reached out to them, turning their support into strength before staring down Clover's crouching form. The tentacles slithered toward her menacingly, but recoiled when they got too close. "I'm never alone," she said. "Where you've cut off ties, I've created mine. This is the end of your delusions, Clover the Clever!" Twilight reared up and raised her horn even higher, sending bright rays of light everywhere. She could hear more ice cracking and Clover's desperate shout.

In the next instant, all the fine furnishings, even the walls, floors, and ceiling, simply winked out. Twilight gasped at the sudden transition and looked down on where she was. She was surrounded by blackness of the abyss again. Around her were enormous chunks of shattered ice.

"Twilight, you're safe!" Pinkie Pie cried out.

A smile wide across her face, Twilight looked towards the ones that had helped her. She had expected smiles as well. To her surprise, they were all staring in awe. She looked at her hoof and found herself still enveloped in the same colors.

"Wretch..."

Twilight turned her gaze back to the broken moan of a voice ahead of her. Where there was once a regal and powerful unicorn ghost, there was now a hideous, slimy monstrosity, like a snail dragged out of its shell and mixed with a squid. Bits of frost still clung to its glistening dark purple skin. It took Twilight a moment to see where its head was. When she found it, she realized that it was the only thing left of Clover that vaguely resembled anything like a pony. "So this is all you've attained," she said softly. "After all those sacrifices you made, all the research you've done. On your own, this is all you got."

"I spent my life following our destiny" Clover said. "I threw away everything to follow this one goal. Be smug for now, Twilight. How long, I wonder, before this path you've chosen crumbles and sends you plunging into this same abyss?"

"Even if I fall," Twilight said. "It's not to the abyss. Not when I have so many ready to catch me."

Clover, or what was left of Clover, looked as if it was trying to attack, but all it did was flop forward. It's tentacles writhed and squirmed, but did nothing more than try to look menacing. Twilight didn't know if she should even bother to attack. What kind of damage could she inflict that could be worse than what Clover had done to herself anyway? "It's over," Twilight said. "Call of the other companions and let us through."

"Through to where?" Clover asked. "There is nothing beyond this abyss, Twilight, nothing but the Deep Father's silence. Nothing but the closed doors to his true power. Until the time of his return comes, all who come here have come for nothing."

"Black Rose..." Twilight whispered. Had she known? Did Black Rose lead them all here knowing that it would be a dead end? Or was she so confident in her power and skill that she expected to succeed where every other pony had failed? A hissing, burbling sound from Clover demanded her attention. She looked up in time to see that Clover's slimy bulk flying at her in some desperate attack. On instinct she cast a spell, any spell that would repel this lunge. The lights around her flashed and, with a pitiful groan, Clover fell back with a dull splotch.

"Curse you..." Clover said, her voice becoming more faint by the word. "You've won nothing, heretic. Lexarius the invader had turned you from your destiny and you will suffer when the time comes..."

Twilight didn't bother replying. At the end of that last bit of defiance, Clover the Clever's wretched form broke apart and dispersed. Twilight doubted that the ghost had died, given that it was dead to begin with. Clover had simply dispersed into a powerless, scattered mass, still awaiting her "Deep Father", who was likely just going to step over her on his way to the Foul Weapon. "That's one down," she said. She looked around again. The others had shifted their focus from her to the other ghosts still rampaging around. True to their lack of harmony, the remaining companions didn't even seem bothered that one of them had been defeated.

The Thorns looked even more banged up than before. Twilight had no idea what had happened, but, seeing that all of her friends had ganged up on Clover's prison to help her, the rest of the companions had to be distracted.

It was Applejack who managed to gallop towards her while the others returned to fighting the companions with the Thorns. "Glad you're back, partner," Applejack said. "We were taking a beating without you. I hope you still got plenty to throw!"

"Oh, I've got plenty alright." Twilight squinted and winced, suddenly aware of a sweltering wave of heat coming at her from one side. "What is that heat?" she asked.

"Dunno," Applejack said. "I think it's Prince Terrato. He was bellowing earlier and threw that giant, burning rock at the ice. The crack it made was how we got you out."

So Prince Terrato was nearby. Twilight had little time to ponder that. Puddinghead's oppressive stink was getting worse. True enough, the corpulent ghost was floating their way, her mouth already open to suck the two of them in.

"Stubborn stink-hole!" Applejack muttered. She spun her lassoed chain for another throw. Even as she spoke, her golden disc shone brightly in front of her. "Any ideas, Twi? Smacking her with my chain doesn't seem to do much."

Twilight didn't answer. She had nothing in her repertoire of spells to deal with the ghosts of the Six Companions. At the end of the day, she had relied on her friends to vanquish Clover the Clever. Even know, she was surrounded by the powerful energies drawn from her friends. She stared at her hoof, watched the multi-colored glow. With Applejack standing nearby, the light was reacting differently now, arcing lightly towards Applejack as if it were trying to leap towards her.

Applejack grunted when another stream of vomit struck her shield. The hiss and bubble from the sludge made it clear as to what would happen if any of the stuff touched them. The shear amount made it difficult for her to attack with her lasso as well. Twilight could see Puddinghead floating even closer, using her own vomit for cover in order to bring more of her stench to bear. Twilight's eyes began to water again, the odor was enough to even make her miss the icy tomb.

"A little help here, sugarcube," Applejack said between coughs. "She's going to fart us to death like this!"

With the stink fogging up her mind, Twilight instinctively held her hoof out towards Applejack. The light sparked briefly then, with a brilliant flash, made the jump.

The next few moments were difficult to discern. Something happened to the golden disc. When the light touched Applejack, it flashed and shunted forward, bashing Puddinghead and driving the ghost back.

Puddinghead gave out a long, horrified cry, Applejack shouted in surprise. Twilight herself let out a yelp, thinking she had just burned both herself and her friend in a reckless experiment with the odd aura around her. After their initial surprise, they soon discovered that the stench was gone and Applejack's shield was still up. As for Puddinghead, the ghost was trembling and frozen. Large chunks of her had been seared away, including her entire lower jaw.

"Twilight...what was that?" Applejack asked. She stared in awe at what looked like her hoofwork, then grinned and looked at Twilight. "And can we do it again?"

Twilight looked to her hoof, which was still covered in that multi-colored light. "We will," she said. She looked towards her other friends. "Time to finish this."


	60. Finishing Blows

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 60: Finishing Blows**

A burst of lights coursed through Rarity and surged out of her horn. Her mage blades erupted into great, jagged spires of crystalline magic; raw, scintillating shards that frightened even her. She touched them tentatively with her telekinesis, afraid that they might turn on her or their sheer size would once again expose how weak her magic was. They cut through the abyss as if she were wielding the same small blades she found in Hammer Chain's smithy. She had to smile. They looked a little crude, resembling the broken shards of a gigantic mirror more than any properly forged blade, but they had their own primal beauty. She felt a small urge to look at Lion Court at the moment, to silently ask him if this was the sort of greatness he was looking for, but this wasn't about him and his approval. This was about the power she had forged with her friends' help. This was about ending to this long, arduous fight.

Princess Platinum's horrid screeching put an end to that moment of admiration. Rarity faced the whirling storm of broken jewelry and crystallizing clouds with renewed confidence. Twilight's boost left her positively humming with strength. More than that, the destruction of Clover the Clever banished the panic brought on by all the chaos. They could do this. She could see Platinum clearly despite the entire flashy spectacle. Two of her blades swept forward, cutting through the foul magic with ease and grace.

Platinum screamed again, a piercing wail much louder than her previous ones. Rarity knew where the difference lay. This wasn't fury or annoyance. It was pain. The clouds dispersed and the jewels floated aside, revealing the wretched "princess". Rarity's blades had severed both of Platinum's forelegs and cut deep into her chest. The spectral limbs dissipated just as Clover's remains did. Fragments of jewelry fell from Platinum and floated away. Rarity wrinkled her nose at the dried up, decayed remains that could no longer hide behind the vanity.

The second pair of blades lashed out in a cross pattern. Rarity was tired of fighting this affront to all ponies. A finishing blow was needed, but she wasn't sure if chopping this ghost in half or removing its head would do the job. Doing both would be the safer choice.

Platinum had no defense against the blades. Indeed, now that the panic was gone, it was clear that Platinum just didn't have any defense. The ghostly princess had relied entirely on a constant barrage of attacks and distracting wails to hide her inability to protect herself. The first crystal blade cut neatly through her throat, severing it with ease. The second one shredded the jewelry still clinging to her body, tore through her decadent cloak and split her perfectly in the middle.

There was no final wail, no grand farewell from Princess Platinum, only a faint, frustrated moan that passed away into nothing. Rarity was a bit insulted. Even a false princess should have something remotely dignified for the final blow. She was about to check on the others when a very loud splintering sound brought her attention back to her weapons.

One of the crystals sported a huge crack. The single fissure opened up and sent a network of smaller lines spreading all over the beautiful, magical construct. More cracks followed along the rest of the weapons. Rarity winced and looked away. The sound of the final shatter, however, was drowned out by a sudden shooting pain in her heart. With a gasp she clutched at her chest and fell to her knees.

'That's…ugh…that's a little unexpected.' Rarity struggled to get up. It seemed that this wasn't going to be a trick she could show off at parties. Despite the crippling pain that felt as if she had broken a rib or two, she wanted to fight on. They took down one, but greatness demanded that she did more than take out the ghost she was matched against. She lifted her blades. They still weighed the same, but they had reverted back to their original forms. A closer inspection brought out a future problem to deal with. Hammer Chain's blades themselves had cracked. It wasn't as severe as the ones that the magical extensions had shown, but she doubted that these weapons would survive another harrowing battle. She tried to take another step forward, but her forelegs failed her. Before she could fall, a red-garbed shoulder, Lion Court's, moved beneath her in support.

"That was very impressive, my dear Rarity," Lion Court said. "More than enough to fill us all with hope." His smile, often so reserved and meant to be charming, broadened into a grin. There was no doubt about it now, he did have fangs. "Certainly more than enough to warrant this gamble among other things!"

"We have work to do!" Rarity hissed. She pushed him away and forced her legs to straighten. The effort worsened the pain in her chest. She gasped and breathed heavily. Her blades trembled when she sheathed them.

Lion Court looked even worse. His own blades were already sheathed. For all his calm and confident words, he looked a complete mess. His magnificent namesake mane and beard were disheveled and bloody. His coat was barely more than a rag stubbornly clinging to him. And the blood…the scrapes looked particularly exaggerated on Lion Court. From his earlier comments, it was almost as if he wanted them there. Thick rivulets ran down his chest and forelegs. His beard was matted with the disgusting liquid. "An admirable stance," he said. "But you should trust your friends as Twilight Sparkle just trusted you. Take a look."

Rarity took her eyes off her damaged blades and put those concerns aside. She looked towards the next flash of light, knowing that Twilight and the others must be working together to defeat the remaining ghosts. Confusion took hold when several flashes of light appeared from different directions. For once, it was the welcome sort of confusion.

* * *

><p><em>'Charge.'<em>

That was the entire message Rainbow Dash got from Twilight when that that stream of colorful lights flowed towards her. Twilight never uttered a word, but that knowing, trusting look was enough. This wasn't the first time Rainbow encountered this situation. Here she was again, facing some monstrous thing: a mass of angry wolven, a lone giant wolven, a rampaging alicorn, a race against a damaged pony…now, the ghost of one of the most evil pegasi ever.

Time and again, Rainbow teetered on that decision, to fly headlong into danger or to fall back. Results had been mixed. She'd been shot in the flank for it and nearly gotten a friend killed. But, it had also been important in defeating one of their most powerful foes. Charge. It sounded so simple. A quick shift in her wait, a slight adjustment of her wings, and she would be off at blazing speeds.

There was nothing simple, however, about what she was going to charge into. Commander Hurricane may look like he had already been torn apart before the battle even began, but his swings were only becoming faster and more accurate. Rainbow was covered in jagged cuts, each one a stinging reminder of one close call after another. She couldn't remember how many times she had nearly lost her head to a broken sword, or a wing, or a leg. He stared at her now, seemingly aware of what her next move was going to be. Broken swords and spear heads moved about in his body. They looked like hideous parasites tunneling under his skin as they turned to face her. At this rate, by the time she charged, he would be a one-pony spear and sword wall.

Behind Commander Hurricane, Sablesteel was hovering valiantly, throwing darts and making quick swoops to distract the ghost. She had paid a big price for having to deal with Hurricane by herself. Half her mask had been torn off and blood was dripping down the half that was barely hanging on to her face. The rest of her body was covered in cuts as well.

More power swelled from within Rainbow, all but begging her to make the move. It wasn't just Twilight urging her on. This strange power was more than just Twilight's magic. It felt as if she had all her friends cheering her on. The Element of Loyalty, she was sure that was what was keeping her in fighting form despite all the exertion, pumped through her veins and surged through her wings. She smiled and lowered her head.

One charge coming right up.

The world turned into a black blur as Rainbow picked up speed. She wasn't screaming this time. She didn't need to drown out her fear. She had this. She had the Element of Loyalty within, her friends all around her and one ugly ghost to take care of.

Commander Hurricane reared up and let out one more neigh. A dozen swords burst from his ravaged body and flew at his attacker. They didn't even come close. Rainbow struck his chest and plowed through his spectral form as if it wasn't there. The light coursing through her burned a hole through Hurricane that did not seal up like the others. It didn't seem much, especially given the extent of all of Hurricane's wounds. One more hole in his hide amounted next to nothing. Rainbow slowed down, hovered back, and watched her work with a grin.

A slow, howling sound flowed through the abyss, like the building rush of an oncoming storm. Sablesteel had wisely backed off from Hurricane. Then, as suddenly as a flash of lightning, a massive spiral of rainbow colors shot through the same trail Rainbow made. Hurricane didn't cry out. There wasn't any time. The light tore him in half and absorbed the pieces in its wake. It roared past Rainbow and disappeared into the vastness.

Sablesteel stared at the empty space where their enemy was a moment ago. Afterwards, she looked to Rainbow and gave a curt nod before winging her way towards the others.

Rainbow didn't recover as easily. It took a while to even realize that her jaw was hanging open. She knew she was going to come up with something awesome, but that was…there were no words. She barely saw the attack. Something struck, and then it was gone with their enemy. Their enemy was…

Rainbow wanted to raise her hooves and let out a triumphant yell. She had just done it. Thanks to the boost her friends gave her, she had just destroyed the ghost of Commander Hurricane. Nopony had to lose an eye this time! But her forelegs felt like lead when she tried to move them. A second later, her wings were feeling the same. They didn't burn from the strain, they just became so heavy that they refused to do as she wanted them. 'Woah…what's-!' Rainbow fell on her tail. All of a sudden, she was tired. So tired. All the fatigue she had somehow avoided throughout this fight seemed to have doubled and caught up with her.

"Rainbow Dash," Sablesteel called out. "Are you hurt?"

Rainbow opened her mouth to make a flippant denial, but even her voice felt too heavy to use. She forced her lips into a smile and nodded. Sablesteel didn't look like she bought it, but made no attempt to check up on her. 'Guess that's how Thorn teamwork goes,' she thought.

Rainbow struggled to her hooves. It felt like she was moving underwater while wrapped in chains.

"Come on."

Longstride put a shoulder under Rainbow and helped her up.

"What the-?" Rainbow's eyes widened. "I…I don't need your…"

"If that's true then push me away," Longstride said. He put her on his back and flew towards Twilight. "Good work, Rainbow Dash," he muttered. "Equestria's fate looks a little less doomed."

* * *

><p>With the tide of battle quickly turning, Twilight finally afforded herself some time to survey everything. This light she wielded felt as if it both welled up from within and washed upon her from her friends. When she willed it to go to them, it did so instantly. The results were beyond amazing. Where there was once confusion and panic in dealing with the Six Companions, there was now a rising sense of triumph. She watched joyously as Rarity's gigantic blades cut down Platinum and Rainbow Dash's diving strike tore through Hurricane. Their enemies were down to three and they were only growing stronger.<p>

The giant crystal blades shattered. When Rarity suddenly stumbled and winced, Twilight hesitated. Was that normal fatigue? Did Rarity's injuries catch up with her? She was bleeding from a lot of cuts. But Rarity wasn't holding her wounds. She was clutching at her chest. This new-found power came at a price. Twilight snorted. Of course it did. Everything always did.

When Rainbow Dash had to be carried by Longstride, it was more than obvious that Twilight had to rely on all of her friends to finish of the remaining companions. That left…Twilight froze.

Fluttershy, the bearer of the Element of Kindness, did not look the part. Her ruined eye was open, but no green iris stared out of that socket. Instead, a midnight blue void, almost indistinguishable from the abyss all around them, poured rivulets of…something that was slowly covering her body. When Fluttershy exhaled, great clouds of vapor escaped her mouth. Her mane, while still pink and solid close to the roots, was on the verge of turning into midnight blue vapor.

This couldn't be right. Twilight guessed that this new-found power enhanced the Elements of Harmony within her friends. What would happen if she willed it into Fluttershy? Was that terrifying apparition her friend was turning into a manifestation of kindness? The obvious answer was no. That was some kind of windigo hybrid, the result of Fluttershy's stare power gone out of control. What was that name Fluttershy used? Lok'horus? The Elements of Harmony and the power of one of Oceanus's prime servants could not be further apart.

But the obvious answer did not seem the right one either. Twilight had felt Fluttershy's call as well when she was trapped in that ice. She felt the Element of Kindness right now. There had to be another way to look at this. Underneath that horrific form, it was still Fluttershy. That form emerged precisely to help break the ice and fight back as best she could. The hesitation melted away. The gentle Fluttershy would not have dared to take on this monstrous power for any small reason. To have had the fortitude to face the power of abyss…

Twilight willed the light towards Fluttershy just as she willed it towards Pinkie Pie. Outward appearances be damned, her friends trusted her and she was going to do the same. She willed the power to flow.

* * *

><p>Fluttershy wanted to shake her hooves, as if doing so could clean the filth of the abyss from the power she had at her command. This wasn't what she wanted, but it was what she expected. She was filthy, still covered in the power of abyss. This wasn't going to put these upstarts in their place. In fact, it would make them think that they were on the right path.<p>

Something else radiated from her; that thing which kept her in control even with this outpouring of the disgusting, tainted version of the power of water. The Element of Kindness flowed through her. It burned like acid and her ruined eye felt as if somepony had shoveled burning coals into her skull. But the pain felt…good. Its presence was purifying and sustaining. It wasn't enough to return the power of water to what it once was, but it still made her far superior to these filth-slinging ghosts. With Twilight free, she was ready attack Pansy.

A flood of power suddenly struck Fluttershy and the burning sensation within her erupted into a full-blown inner inferno. She screamed and clutched her sides before furiously looking towards the source.

"I'm so sorry, Fluttershy!" Twilight Sparkle called out.

'I am going to break her soul and eat it!' Fluttershy grit her teeth and fought through the pain. No, she didn't really want to break Twilight's soul and eat it. That was Lok'horus's rage boiling over. But, what did Twilight do to her? It was bad enough that-! Wait, it had to be the Element of Kindness. The pain was worse because the purification had strengthened. She looked to her hooves. The power of abyss was not as bad as it was just a few moments ago. Now, if she could only concentrate through this horrendous agony, she might accomplish something. She exhaled slowly, once again calling up the vaporous presence of the power of water. The cloud looked purer now, more distinct from the blackness around them. She looked towards Pansy.

Two streams of crystal clear water flowed towards Pansy from different directions. When her many pseudo-pods touched them, she recoiled in agony, with that part of her body smoking. They created a globe of water around her, entrapping her completely. Fluttershy let herself smile. Yes…that was closer to the power of water. It still wasn't perfect, still not worthy of Oceanus, but it was much better now. She brought her front hooves together and willed the globe to start crushing.

Pansy's form boiled and shifted in a panic, turning into a ball of writhing tentacles, to a mass of ropy muscle, to a glob of tiny mouths in some futile attempt to break free. Fluttershy would have laughed if she wasn't hurting all over. This ghost was no match for her. The globe shrank and shrank until it was a mere drop in the abyss. Then, the drop dissipated along with her foe.

Fluttershy smiled and watched the water dance around her hooves. "Purify," she whispered. Yes, this was definitely much better. She just needed—

The blackness began to creep back in. Fluttershy frowned as the power of water was, once more, its disgusting version. "Just like mold," she muttered. "You don't burn it out right, it comes back as bad as before." She looked to Twilight. The boost was impressive, but more was still needed from the Element of Kindness. If she could just bring out a little more, the power of water would be free.

Then, even the power of abyss began to recede from her. Frowning, she tried to force it to stay. She still needed the power of Lok'horus! It couldn't disappear now! The power didn't heed her and dissipated. The return of her normal form was followed by a wave of weakness that left her barely able to move.

Coruscaria was right, but not as she thought she was. One day, Oceanus was going take his rightful place.

* * *

><p>"We're winning!" Pinkie cried out as two blades whistled past her. "We're finally winning!" She had no idea what had changed and she didn't care. Twilight was back with more than just shields and fire. Whatever Twilight brought back from her trip inside that chunk of ice, it sent Pinkie's spirit soaring high above this blackness and despair. She galloped towards Smart Cookie, merrily skipping past a dozen blades and darts. Smart Cookie let out a deafening buzz, like a spinning saw trying to cut through steel. She didn't mind. So the ghost was getting angry. It was surprise that this machine could even feel anything at all.<p>

"Pinkie Pie!"

Pinkie nearly paused when she heard her name come, not from Longstride, but from Sablesteel. She also nearly lost her head to another saw. 'Huh?' she thought. She didn't slow down or veer away from Smart Cookie.

"You better have something to throw at it, Pinkie Pie!" Sablesteel shouted.

"I would if you stop interrupting!" Pinkie yelled back. She stopped upside-down over Smart Cookie, the ghost's back just above, or below, her head. She spotted the flow of ley energy again. This time, she just found a pool of it. "I knew it!" she cried out triumphantly.

For all her posturing about finding and exploiting new ways for earth ponies to grow in power, Smart Cookie ended up being eerily close to her brother's discovery. The ghostly machinery had a really, really crude network of ley lines from the abyss-infused metal. Smart Cookie probably thought that it was a neat little thing she added to herself that would bring out Oceanus's power. Rock Maven would have laughed. Or he would have gotten really mad.

Pinkie plunged her hoof into the pooling spot and worked all the stuff she learned and just instinctively knew into it. She really had something now. First, she had to open up all this armor so Longstride and Sablesteel could find more to hit than plates. She found the joints and attachments and pulled at them.

Large plates of ghostly metal fell from Smart Cookie. To Pinkie's surprise, so did a lot of those nasty blade and dart spewing gadgets. The metal buzz grew louder and more frantic. "Oh yeah!" Pinkie said with a grin. "She didn't like that!"

"Good work," Sablesteel said. Pinkie beamed inside. It meant surprisingly much to hear that from a pony who hadn't believed in her before. "Now, stand back while we chop this ghost up!"

"I'm not done yet!" Pinkie yelled.

Underneath the machinery, there was only a dried up corpse. Pinkie had expected that after seeing what Platinum was under the jewelry. She now had some ley energy to work with now that she freed the stuff up from the ghostly armor. And if that wasn't enough, she spotted even more. Traces of bright colors floated in the wake of that enormous rock Prince Terrato hurled. She drew those in as well, turning all the scraps into a glowing ball of earthen energy.

"Check this out, Sable, I told you I can get stronger!"

Sablesteel actually smiled, a smile that could be seen with her mask in such disrepair. "Don't get friendly with the names, Pinkie Pie," she said. "It's Sablesteel to you."

Pinkie nearly threw her front hooves in the air to let out a loud whoop, but she remembered that she was holding a dangerous ball of ley energy at the last second. "Okay, celebrating comes later. Now, what am I supposed to do with this ball?' she thought.

The answer seemed simple enough: throw it at Smart Cookie and watch it blow up. That was what Twilight would do. With her machinery falling apart, there really wasn't much left of Smart Cookie anyway. A quick look around also revealed a more elating sight. The other ghosts were nowhere to be seen. This was the last one and she got to put the finishing touches.

She had lifted the ball above her head for an overhead throw when she paused. Something wasn't right. This wasn't a fireball. Maybe throwing it would only give Smart Cookie some extra power to use, like passing a ball instead of hitting somepony on the head. And should she really be using channeling like this?

"Pinkie Pie!"

That was Sablesteel again. Pinkie was beginning to notice an impatient streak in that pegasus. Or was it just worry? Smart Cookie didn't have anything to throw at her, but the ghost was still advancing. It looked like Sable finally got tired of waiting. She swooped in and struck. Smart Cookie made no sound, not when half her face was already missing. Sable's cuts ran down the ghost's torso, leaving a glowing trail of venom that nearly split Smart Cookie in half.

Pinkie was tempted to let Sable finish Smart Cookie off. She had certainly done her part. It wasn't like Sable was going to yell at her or try to kill her when she managed to shred Smart Cookie's armor like she was opening a can of sliced peaches. But the ley energy was still at her hooves.

Rock Maven could not have wanted it to come to this. Not after what she read about him in Canterlot. Gaining the means to fight back against the magic of Platinum's slavers had only been the first part of it. Rock Maven wanted more from earth ponies, not just another way to toss fireballs like an angry unicorn. He wanted…

An idea came to mind. Pinkie Pie pressed on the ball from all sides, making it smaller and more compact. She had a better idea that just destruction. Sablesteel may not agree. All her friends may not agree after having to fight so desperately against these ghosts. But she thought it would be a better end. A better use of earth pony power.

Instead of a fearsome ball that streaked towards its target, Pinkie Pie let out a small, brightly glowing point of ley energy. It floated gently towards Smart Cookie like a stray cinder, alighting with all the fury of flower petal. The ghost didn't even notice it in the wake of Sablesteel's fierce attacks and did not even react when the ley energy landed.

The effect, however, was nothing subdued. The bright and shifting colors settled on one hue: light green. The point attached itself to the remains of Smart Cookie's dried up shoulder and sprouted numerous small tendrils. While Smart Cookie still hadn't noticed, Sablesteel did. She flew backwards and observed, her blades going into her foreleg devices.

The tendrils spread rapidly. Small leaves emerged, followed by pink flowers. Wherever they touched, the repulsive ghostly remains turned into solid, warm flesh. By the time Smart Cookie turned her remaining eye towards the spot, half her body was covered the flora had moved over half her body.

The others had noticed as well and they stared hard in wonder. The foliage fell away from the restored body and moved on to the desiccated parts. For a while, they were looking at an actual pony. The ghostly form had even shrunk.

Smart Cookie's eyes widened as she examined her body. She let out a gasp and then looked to Pinkie, who would have said something if she could get her jaw to stop hanging open. Was she going for this? She was going for something more constructive, but restoring Rock Maven's sister was-

Smart Cookie brushed a foreleg against her chest and let out a scream: the scream of a living pony. "Flesh! Filthy, weak, impure flesh! What have you done to me? All my work and research!"

"But-! But-!" Pinkie trotted towards Smart Cookie.

"This foul magic!" Smart Cookie tore at her coat with her hooves, as if she could just rip her flesh away and go back to her ghostly form.

"Wait!" Pinkie cried out. "Don't do that! Your brother, he-!"

And Smart Cookie did succeed in a way. The flesh around her chest crumbled away like dry earth. Upon seeing this, a maniacal grin split her lips and she gouged even harder. The blackness of the abyss seeped into the wounds "Yes! Yes! Deep Father, cleanse me of this filthy magic!"

"No, stop!" Pinkie tried to repeat the process, but she had taken all the available ley energy.

Smart Cookie opened her forelegs wide, as if she could hug the entire abyss. The blackness entered the torn parts of her body. "Deep Father, I-! Wait, what's-?" The words turned into a long agonized scream. The abyss tore through Smart Cookie as if she were made of paper.

Pinkie slowed, then stopped. Ghost or pony, Smart Cookie was gone. She looked at her hooves and tried to get a feel of the abyss. This place was too strong and she was too inexperienced with channeling. But, for a moment, and with Twilight's help, she was able to do something that Rock Maven had tried so hard to accomplish. She just needed more time and more help. If she could get other true earth ponies to work on this, she might come up with something better than all their angry channeling. She just needed to tell them about what she learned.

* * *

><p>And then silence finally filled the abyss.<p>

For nearly half a minute, all of them just stood there: panting, sweating, looking around. Twilight Sparkle watched as the last of the glimmer around her faded away. The quiet was so complete that it was frightening. Had they…had they actually done it? She couldn't stop looking around. She must have gone in a circle several times already. She was still expecting an ambush. She looked to the Thorns. They would know.

The Thorns looked wary and spent. For all their elite training and experience, they were in just as bad or even worse shape. Octavia had stopped playing. Indeed, she had stopped moving. She hugged her cello close and sat so completely still that she looked dead. It took a few more tense seconds of observing to notice the gentle movement from the sides of her torso. She was alive, barely. Lion Court limped towards her and offered a red-stained handkerchief for all the blood. There wasn't a single scratch on Octavia. None of the ghosts had come after her directly. But she looked as if she had lost more blood than any of them. Crimson drops trickled from her head and down her neck. Droplets floated all around her like a swarm of red flies. There was no way Lion Court's handkerchief could even remotely clean her up, but he offered it with a confident smile.

Twilight had to drag herself towards them. She was completely drained, probably even more than her fight with Nightmare Moon. The others looked the same. They limped and crawled their way towards her, blood trailing behind some of them. Twilight let out a long exhale and tried to control her breathing. She needed to push out just a bit more magical strength for a few healing spells just to keep Rarity and Rainbow Dash from bleeding out. She should also tend to the Thorns, but first things had to be first. "This fight is over," she said to Lion Court once she was close enough. "Take us to Black Rose."

Lion Court's smile widened. "No need to intimidate," he said. "That has always been the plan."

As they gathered into their respective groups, Twilight let out another exhale. It hardly helped. They should be celebrating a victory against the very worst of ponykind. She had unlocked some kind of power within. But they were completely spent and Black Rose still waited. The others looked like they were thinking the same thing.

"I understand the worry," Lion Court said to them. "None of us are in any shape to provide a suitable final battle."

"Just like Black Rose planned?" Twilight asked through grit teeth. She was already weaving together the last bits of strength to close her friends' wounds. A fight with Black Rose seemed both inevitable and hopeless. As she was now, Black Rose would crush her like a bug even without the power of sunlight.

"In all honesty, no," Lion Court said. The smile was gone. For the first time since Twilight met this annoyingly confident stallion, he finally stopped smiling. That was little victory and an ominous warning all rolled into one. "We were supposed to rescue the prince. That was the other half of the reason why we faced the Six Companions. It appears that he has rescued himself with only a small distraction on our part."

"That's good for us, then!" Applejack said. "The prince's gonna kick Black Rose's behind!"

"Is it?" Lion Court asked. "Do you think volcanoes distinguish friends from foes, my dear Applejack? And the mistress has been fond of describing him as _volcanic_."

"He's a pony, not a volcano," Twilight said. "He may be awful most of the time, but we can trust him. What exactly are you worried about, Lion Court?"

"I'm worried that the semblance between brothers is stronger than the mistress is willing to acknowledge," Lion Court said. "His highness has always been the chink in Black Rose's armor. In her eyes, he can do no wrong, even when he's killing her."

The group started walking once healing spells had been cast. Twilight didn't answer. Any chink in Black Rose's armor should be a good thing. But, as the chill of the abyss had turned into a steadily worsening heat, she couldn't bring herself to gain confidence about it. There were two distant figures ahead of them. Those had to be Black Rose and Prince Terrato. It was so close now. A drop of sweat fell from her brow. The others were sweating as well.

"Lion Court," Octavia said. The bloody, haughty mask had finally crumbled. She trembled with each step. Her legs looked watery and she seemed to be fighting to keep from fainting. Her eyes were liquid with concern when she spoke. "Are you sure the mistress would be fine?"

Both Longstride and Sablesteel threw sharp glares at Octavia, but Lion Court merely smiled and nodded. "No, my dear Octavia, and that's part of what makes a gamble fun, isn't it?"

Octavia looked towards Longstride, the concern only growing. "What do you see?" she asked.

Longstride focused ahead for a moment, then shook his head.

"You'll see."


	61. The Gambler

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 61: The Gambler**

He knew he'd find her at the heart of this abyss. Black Rose couldn't be anywhere else but the heart of the matter. Terrato walked slowly, not out any pleasure for finally cornering her, but because it was so hard to move. Breaking free of the tangle of the Old Kingdom's filthy souls would have sapped him greatly even if he hadn't expended a lot of energy fighting Gravitas. Drops of his blood broke free from him, floating off to the abyss as tiny, crimson spheres. Behind him, a trail of these droplets marked his passage through this darkness as surely as the searing heat he emanated. Life Tap, the conversion of vitality to magical energy, was one of the core principles of Necromancy. Ideally, necromancers harvested from corpses, the fresher the better. Unscrupulous ones happily harvested living victims to maximize gain. Desperate ones, as he was moments ago, had no problem turning on themselves, and he had tapped a lot of vitality to create that molten barrage.

If Black Rose had gained access to the smallest fragment of Oceanus's Throne, there was no way he could bring her down. If she was even the fresher of the two of them, this would be a desperate, likely lost battle. Terrato was panting just to get to her. But, as her figure came ever closer, the tightness in his chest lessened.

Black Rose was not glowing with power, whether hers, the power of sunlight, or the power of Oceanus's Throne. Floating above her was the faint outline of the same sphere that Gravitas had been trapped in. Except that Gravitas wasn't there. At least, most of him wasn't. Within the outline floated a few pieces of something. They looked like bloodied shreds of barding. He couldn't get a feel of Gravitas's presence. What had happened? How did Black Rose do away with that wretch? Did she sacrifice him to the Throne?

He took another step forward. She was still staring at the blackness, her back turned to him. The Throne was before them. He could feel it even in its dormant, silent state. There was nothing to see, hear, smell, or actually feel on his skin. Knowledge was the only way to perceive the Throne. He just knew that it was there. Did that same knowledge hold her attention so thoroughly that she couldn't even tell that he had already arrived? Or had she become so arrogant that she couldn't even be bothered to face him?

Another step later and she finally did turn. Her slow movement told him enough. She knew that he was there. She probably knew when he was still far away. It was hesitation that kept her from turning. "I did not expect to meet you like this, beloved," she said.

"So where's the big smile?" Terrato asked. His voice was a soft rumble. No more roaring, no more shouting. He didn't want to waste anymore strength on that. He couldn't. "Don't you love it when unexpected things happen?"

"Not this," Black Rose whispered. She sounded so tired. Her mane was disheveled. Her limbs lacked their usual spring. Her eyelids looked heavy. This was such a far cry from the triumphant Black Rose wielding the power of sunlight high above Bastion City. "I'm sorry for tricking you and trapping you here. If you had waited a little while longer, my Thorns and the Elements of Harmony could have freed you without all that harm." Her gaze started at his hooves and moved up. She was taking in more than just the bloody mess on his coat and barding. There were lines spread around his body. As if there was magma peeking out just underneath, they pulsed a deep red glow. The power of earth was in no danger of exploding from him, but he had spent so much strength that his form in this world was straining. The tips of his fiery mane occasionally shifted to solid, red hair for a second or so.

"The time has passed for all your little shows of devotion, Rose," Terrato said. "We're down to this last encounter and I can see that you've failed in acquiring the Foul Weapon. Play your games if you must when your Thorns and the Elements of Harmony show up. While it's just you and me, tell me why you've come this far."

Black Rose pushed away a sweat-damp lock of her mane from her face. "So quick to point out my mistakes," she said. "It felt like I was back in the Gray Sentinel for a moment there. Won't you acknowledge my achievements as well, beloved?"

Terrato stopped moving forward. It wasn't just because he did want to hear Black Rose; he didn't want to come any closer to Oceanus's Throne. Not when there were so many unknowns. Black Rose risked much just being so close. He could only gamble so much, especially after what the ponies of the Old Kingdom did to him. "What have you achieved that I should acknowledge, Rose?" he asked. "Why do you even need me to?"

"I've reunited you with your sisters," Black Rose said. "The barrier was but a physical manifestation of that inner rift. My Thorns have pushed the Elements of Harmony, and this abyss has served well as the crucible to bring out their best. In the process, the potential threat from the dormant Old Kingdom was destroyed before Oceanus returned."

"All true," Terrato said. "I admit it, Black Rose. I owe you a great deal. More than I'm willing to admit to my sisters. Or to anypony for that matter." Black Rose smiled. Not that confident smile she used to hide her plans and to keep her foes uncertain. Not this time. For what felt like a long, long time, Black Rose showed him that soft, happy smile she had when he first welcomed her to the Gray Sentinel. For some time, Terrato didn't want to continue. If only he could freeze this moment, store it away somewhere and relive it whenever he wanted to. "What have you done with Gravitas?"

The smile was gone. Terrato's chest ached as the moment passed. "I had hoped that a sacrifice would draw a more favorable reaction from Oceanus's weapon," Black Rose said. "Gravitas is responsible for the destruction of several handmaidens of Oceanus after all. I offered him and he was devoured alive. I make no apologies for this, beloved, I enjoyed his last screaming, undignified moments."

"He was an enemy of Oceanus. We could have still used him."

"There isn't enough chance of that for a gamble. He was too scared and too set in his ways. You spoke with him. You know that we do have neither the time nor resources to make him see differently. Even if we succeeded, I doubt he would have had more use against Oceanus, especially when he was so easily led around."

"You fed him to the Foul Weapon for that?" Terrato asked.

"Gravitas is not completely lost, beloved," Black Rose said. "He has been diminished and trapped within Oceanus's realm. He can be set free to rejoin the Herd. After our victory against Oceanus of course. A victory achieved with Equestria intact and our place in the Herd secure. But why don't we drop the pretenses? A weapon is a tool, a device that can be manipulated by a pony skilled enough. This thing is more intimate to Oceanus than that. It reacts to no prodding; it hears no bargains, taunts, or pleas. It has nothing for me. Not even contempt. I do not exist to this thing, no matter how hard I've tried to make myself heard."

"Oceanus' Throne will hear nopony but him," Terrato said. "Your plan was doomed from the start, Rose."

"Was it?" Black Rose tilted her head, a hint of a smile showing again. "If that was true, then why did you chase after me?"

Terrato didn't answer. He didn't need to.

"Was it because you understood all along that bringing the Elements of Harmony to this place would bring out the best in them? That it was better to deal with the Old Kingdom while Oceanus was still dormant? Or...perhaps, you were worried about me?"

"Of course I was," Terrato said. Black Rose paused and stared. She had likely expected the need to hint and be coy. Terrato was too tired to play. "You were going to become a bride of Oceanus. That was the only way you could gain some control over his Throne."

"Then-"

"Damn it, Rose!" Terrato winced. Even snarling hurt. He lowered his voice, both out of necessity and because the next words warranted it. "I still love you. What did you expect would happen if I thought you were going to become that monster's bride?"

"I'm hurt and flattered all at once," Black Rose said. "But there are methods even I won't pursue. Equestria will not survive me as Oceanus's Queen, if such a thing was even remotely possible."

"You fed Gravitas to Oceanus's Throne, Black Rose," Terrato said. "There will be reprisals. He may not be as popular as Lexarius, but he has allies within the Council of Elders and other sources. Are you confident that Equestria would survive their reprisals that while Oceanus's arrival draws closer?"

"Would they even dare, I wonder?" Black Rose asked. "You said it yourself, Oceanus's arrival draws ever closer. The Council of Elders may bicker and plot while the threat is dormant and the King is away, but who among them would harm Equestria with your father preparing for battle?"

"You're a rebellion short."

Black Rose's glanced at the void behind her. "Then, let us complete the set: Prince Terrato wielding this horrifying weapon, even for a moment, to completely destroy the meddlesome Gravitas. I believe that would count."

"There is no way I would do that!" Terrato snarled. He could feel blood at the back of his throat.

"No need to. You came to the abyss after fighting Gravitas. Now, he's gone. Many will have doubts, but who would risk trying anything if even a possibility exists? We can create a fake eighth rebellion. You suffer a small blow to your reputation, but Equestria will be safe long enough to prepare for the real one. Think of it, beloved: a united Equestria free of threats from within this world and without. Think of what you and your sisters can accomplish!"

"I know what my sisters and I can accomplish," Terrato said. "What I don't know is where you will be after this."

"That will be decided momentarily," Black Rose said. "I am down to the last vestiges of my strength. The power of sunlight is gone, and I used a great deal of magic just to bring my Thorns to this place, keep them protected from the abyss, and keep my hold on Gravitas until he was sacrificed." She chuckled briefly. "What a terrible final battle we will have when the others get here; a gathering of ponies barely able to stand!"

"Rose..."

Black Rose looked past Terrato. He didn't need to follow her gaze. The presence was enough of a giveaway for Twilight Sparkle and the rest. Besides, who else was there to expect in the abyss?

"Thank you for those words," Black Rose said, much too softly for the new arrivals to hear. "And I still love you too." Her smile, the smile she wore to battle, was back when she addressed Twilight and the others. "Finally, everypony is here. And what a fine sight you all make!"

"We are glad to see you are still well, mistress," Lion Court said.

Black Rose nodded at Lion Court. "Well done as usual, my Thorns."

"Can we cut the long introductions?" Rainbow Dash snapped. "We're tired and we're hurt, nopony has the time for your speeches!"

"It's over, Black Rose!" Twilight said. She shut her eyes tightly for a second, straining to bring out a crackling glow out of her horn. "Step away from the Foul Weapon and give up!"

The smile still didn't leave when Black Rose did take a step forward. "I give up," she said.

Even Terrato could barely disguise a snort at the flabbergasted expressions on Twilight and her friends.

"Do you honestly expect us to believe that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "It's so obvious that you've got another trap waiting for us! It's not going to work!"

"I was asked to surrender and I complied," Black Rose said. She looked to Twilight. "Do you accept or did you just offer something you can't give?"

"I..." Twilight Sparkle continued to stare in disbelief.

'One more lesson for them, is it Black Rose?' Terrato thought.

"How do I know you're not bluffing?" Twilight asked.

"That is something you should have determined before you asked me to surrender," Black Rose said. "It's easy to offer mercy when you're expecting a no, isn't it? You get to feel as if you've done your part before you move on to the more drastic solutions."

"I did not just say that to feel like the better pony," Twilight said. She concentrated even harder on bringing out her magic and failed. "You...you knew that there was no way we'd have the strength to bind you, didn't you?"

"The answer to that is irrelevant," Black Rose said. "Would you grant me mercy, Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight glanced to her friends.

"Don't trust her!" Rainbow Dash said. "She's obviously going to trick us!"

"I..." Rarity frowned for a while. "Even if we demanded proof, there's really nothing she could offer, couldn't she? Harsh as it may be, should we even risk such a thing? We only need look around us to see where she's willing to take her schemes."

"That's just mean!" Pinkie told Rarity. She looked to Twilight. "Of course we should forgive her! She said she was sorry!"

"She's a liar," Applejack said. "We all know that!" Her voice softened. "But the lies have to stop somewhere, right?"

"She's had us in her mercy a lot of times," Fluttershy said softly. "If we won't spare her out of kindness, let's spare her just to pay her back."

Twilight Sparkle looked towards Terrato. He snorted openly this time. Was she seriously looking to him for an opinion? More importantly, was he going to defer to her decision? He glanced at Black Rose. She wasn't lying about her flagging strength. She may not be horribly wounded, but she didn't look capable of putting up much of a fight and her Thorns fared worse. Yet, here she was, still playing games; gambling with her very surrender and amusing herself as he and the Elements of Harmony worked out a hierarchy.

Without any answer coming from Terrato, Twilight looked to Black Rose. "What were you even doing here, Black Rose?" she asked. "You haven't gotten any stronger by coming here at all!"

"Would my answer affect your choice?" Black Rose asked. "My plan has failed. I'm at a disadvantage and I offer my surrender."

Twilight pressed her lips tightly together.

"Rose, that's enough toying with her," Terrato said. "You've made your point. You got them with one more surprise."

"I had preferred a final test," Black Rose said. "The Elements of Harmony against even a portion of the Foul Weapon. This is a poor substitute. We're at an impasse. I can't do much to harm all of you in any meaningful way that would bring out more of the Elements of Harmony, yet you won't accept my surrender for fear of what I'm planning. The only solution seems to be my death."

"Let's knock her out, then capture her!" Rainbow Dash said. "She can't try anything if she's out!"

"Try it, Rainbow Dash," Sablesteel hissed. "I still have enough venom to make your innards leak out of your rear!"

"Your enemy has surrendered with dignity and you respond with barbarism!" Octavia said. "Shameful!"

Applejack stepped in front of Rainbow Dash. "Maybe if Black Rose wasn't so sneaky, we'd have no problem accepting her surrender! She made this difficult for herself!"

"Enough!" Twilight said. "We're going nowhere! We're not going to kill you, Black Rose." She glanced at Rainbow Dash. "Or knock you out like we're abducting you."

"All well and good," Black Rose said. "What you will do remains to be seen."

"Let's go," Twilight said. "I'm sick of this abyss, I want to go back to Equestria."

"You're trusting her?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You're trusting Black Rose?"

"And I thought she was the only gambler here," Terrato said.

"I don't gamble," Twilight said. "I picked the best option available." She gave Terrato a knowing look that would have normally irritated him. "You wanted to spare her too, didn't you?"

"Don't decide anything on my account, Twilight Sparkle," Terrato said. "You don't owe me anything."

"Can we at least tie her up and get one of those horn-lock thingies on her?" Rainbow Dash asked. She looked to Sablesteel and Octavia. "Or is that too rough for her majesty too?"

"Longstride should have aimed for your tongue, foal," Sablesteel muttered. "Or I should have given him a hemotoxin instead of a paralytic."

To Rainbow Dash's credit, she didn't bother retorting.

"We don't have horn-locks with us," Twilight said. "But, even without any detection spells, I can tell that you're almost out, Black Rose." She looked to Applejack. "At least we have some rope."

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash said. "Tie her up with the magic lasso! Maybe she'll start telling the truth when we get it on her!"

"My lasso doesn't work that way, Rainbow," Applejack said. "But I'd be more comfortable if we get this slippery mare tied up."

Black Rose held her front hooves forward. "By all means," she said.

Applejack stepped closer and looked at those extended hooves as if they were deadly snakes. Though she put on a brave face, she could not completely disguise the tremble in her forelegs. Another second of hesitation passed before she began binding.

"That's a fine chain, Applejack," Black Rose said. "Has it served you well?"

"What do you know about this chain, Black Rose?" Applejack asked. She pulled the links together, roughly pinning Black Rose's fetlocks to each other.

"Come now," Black Rose said. "Will every word I say make you ponies jump?"

"You brought this on yourself," Applejack said. "If you weren't scheming all the time, we wouldn't think you were scheming all the time!"

"Well—"

Terrato waited for Black Rose to finish, but she never did. He blinked and shook his head. That was way too long even for the ridiculous theatrical pauses that she enjoyed. He looked to her and found her frozen between words. "What-?" He looked to the others. Applejack was also frozen in place, her jaw clenched tightly as if physical effort could keep Black Rose's words from having any effect. Twilight Sparkle looked like she was about to say something too.

**"Hello, little brother,"**

Out of the great void which Terrato could only assume was Oceanus's Throne, a distant, glowing figure winked into existence. Details were hazy, but Terrato didn't need his sight to recognize who this was. Nor did he need the voice. The presence hit him in two ways; like an ice cold mist caressing his coat and like a grip of frost clutching at his heart. It tugged at very old memories. He had been too young to remember the firstborn like Celestia did, but some part of him held on to an imprint of that presence. "Firstborn," he growled softly.

**"I am speaking to you because you are the only thing here worth noticing."**

Black Rose had spent a great deal just to get here, even more just trying to elicit a reaction. It was strange to feel indignant for his former student when he should be glad that Oceanus can't even be bothered to notice her. Terrato also noted that the firstborn did not sound languid as Luna had described. That his time was drawing closer was unmistakable.

"How are you here? Aren't you supposed to be dormant for one more rebellion?"

**"I am Oceanus. Prophecy bends to me. You stand before my Throne, little brother. I see you as if you were standing next to me."**

"And that's why you left it here, didn't you?" Terrato afforded himself a smile. "You act like these ponies are as insignificant as the dirt, but you made sure you had an eye on them."

**"I left my Throne here as a beacon, so others who wish the leave the Herd may follow."**

He didn't seem interested in the adverse effects of this monstrous thing had on his children. How much of Oceanus' blindness towards his children was true? Were they truly so insignificant to his scale of power or was it merely disdain that made him pretend?

**"Little brother, it is no coincidence that you have found your way here."**

"You're not going to convince me to join up with you, firstborn," Terrato said. "Save the sales pitch for the power of abyss." Terrato's eyes strayed towards Black Rose. It was her scheming and bravado that led them all here, yet she was helpless at the moment. They all were. He had played into her schemes on several occasions, was constantly reacting and had allowed the situation with him and his sisters to deteriorate, but Oceanus only noticed him. He was the only one the firstborn would deign to speak to despite all of Black Rose's poking and prodding. He snorted. "And here I thought it was Luna you were after."

The glowing figure moved closer. The cold grew worse, but Terrato didn't even shiver. His limbs were numbing and his body was getting heavier, but not even the slightest shiver at this unnatural cold. How different it was from Fenrir's furious howling. The wolven king's howl was a fierce winter storm; proud, defiant, strong. Oceanus's presence was a hungry void, eagerly and quietly sucking away everything.

**"Luna is already mine."**

Terrato grit his teeth. What a lie. What else could he expect from the firstborn? It was nothing but lies and blindness; both from his unfathomable pride.

**"Sun and Moon above, Ocean and Earth beneath. Daughters of Gratia, Sons of Dominus."**

Why was the firstborn reciting bad poetry? Terrato raised an eyebrow. Did Oceanus have his own prophecies to spout? Wait...that might actually make sense. Celestia inherited the power of sunlight from their father and some of their mother's powerful divination abilities, but she did not possess the sort of foresight to make accurate predictions. Luna inherited their mother's power of moonlight, not so much the divination. Perhaps, it was the firstborn who got the whole package.

**"I would not bring you to my side if you asked to join. Little brother, you will destroy everything you cherish and I refuse to include myself among them."**

'Everything I...' Terrato shook his head. Lies. Prideful lies from the firstborn. Oceanus did not have their mother's foresight.

**"If only I didn't exist, this would be your moment of crowning. But the Throne is already mine. All you will find here is loss."**

"I disagree."

Terrato had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping. Though he could not see any detail from the firstborn, there was a slight fluctuation in the oppressive presence. That was Black Rose's low-pitched, silken tone, defiant and tranquil at once. She shifted out of her frozen state as if she had just been pretending all along, but the powerful surges of magic around the edges of her form told Terrato otherwise. Black Rose did not have much magical energy when he found her in this place. Whatever was left was going into this confrontation with the firstborn. She may not even have enough to keep her Thorns alive in the abyss if things went poorly.

Black Rose's expression betrayed none of these anxieties. She looked and sounded as if she had just pulled off another trick to an amazed audience. She squinted at the distant glowing figure and put a hoof over her eyes as if trying to see farther. "Can you see me now, Oceanus?" she asked. "Or am I still too insignificant for your almighty eyes?"

A rising sense of oppressive presence flooded them. It felt like being caught in a massive ocean swell. Terrato expected a powerful crash, like a rogue wave finally forming. No such thing came. Instead, the heavy presence blew past him gently, more an exhalation than devastation. It felt like...like a yawn.

Black Rose let out a little snort. "And that's all the proof I need to know that I was right in refusing to even remotely work with your cause."

**"Little brother, you came here hoping to protect some feeble shard of light from our father's Throne. You will find only loss instead. Your journey is at an end."**

"Are you going to fight me now, firstborn?" Terrato asked. "You can't even be bothered to show up for real and it's going to take more than your constant posturing to annoy me to death!"

Oceanus didn't answer again. He didn't need to. He didn't even need to talk to Terrato to begin with. The end of his journey indeed. He wasn't going to find the strength to pull himself out of this abyss. The Elements of Harmony didn't look like they had much going for them either. Neither did—

"Was he always that prone to snobbery?"

"Would you have really preferred that he noticed you?" Terrato asked. He walked closer to Black Rose. He limped towards her. On her part, she didn't flinch. She even looked like she wanted to meet him halfway just to help him conserve his strength. It was amazing that she was still keeping her composure. Her gamble was an utter failure. "I'm glad, you know. I'm glad that he thinks that you're not worth the attention. I'm glad that your theatrics bored him so much, he yawned and left."

Terrato paused, his ears perking slightly. That wasn't quite true. Oceanus had put some kind of distance between himself and his clearly unwanted children, but he wasn't gone. In that yawning void, Terrato could still feel some observation, a half-lidded, amused stare directed at him, mildly curious about his last few steps.

"At least you found something to be glad about in this situation I've put you through," Black Rose said. She didn't seem to notice. Oceanus likely didn't want her to. Terrato supposed that the mighty firstborn could easily will who got to feel his presence and who didn't if he put his mind to it. "There are a few more tasks left, beloved." She looked around her and smiled. "I see that those of us not so skilled in necromancy are still frozen by Oceanus's presence. That is useful indeed. I had hoped to control the Foul Weapon to stop its influence. Since it's a Throne—"

"It needs to go," Terrato said. "If it stays here, it will exert more and more influence as Oceanus gains strength. Eventually, he will rip Equestria apart from the inside by just calling it. We can't destroy it, so it needs to be returned to him while it's dormant." He glanced at the void behind Black Rose. Oceanus heard that no doubt. But the firstborn wasn't here physically. He could observe, but for all his talk about bending prophecy, he wasn't going to act just yet. Good. He was going to get a front row seat to what his children were capable of.

"True," Black Rose said. "Once more at the same page."

Terrato lifted his horn, tasting the powerful magic weaved into the very essence of this wretched abyss. There was some sense to the firstborn's words, sense he hated so much. He looked to his former student. Black Rose didn't quite understand the full implications of bringing him here. She gambled on his affinity and she gambled on his alignment with Equestria. "At the same page" she said. That was her weaponized confidence showing, that same weaponized confidence that was always keeping Twilight Sparkle and the others off-balance. Black Rose didn't always have a good handle on things, but her smile stopped opportunistic attacks as well as any magical shield. Confidence wasn't going to carry her much farther now. Not in the abyss. "You have a plan for this?" he asked.

"My track record when it comes to plans has been rather dismal, beloved," Black Rose said. "Nothing concrete, but the objectives are clear. This Throne must be removed."

"Your wretched gambling again." Terrato snorted. "I often wish I beat that habit out of you all those years ago."

"Beloved, you would have beaten me out of existence," Black Rose replied. "But we no longer have the luxury of nostalgia and wishful thinking. Equestria's premier necromancers have a task at hoof."

"The array that sends ponies to this place will help, even at this distance," Terrato said.

"You noticed it even though you were being carried away by a wailing wave of lost souls?" Black Rose asked. For once, the awe in her tone didn't sound planned.

"Since only the Elements of Harmony are here, we can assume that Celestia and Luna are manipulating it." Terrato closed his eyes, "stirring" the abyss around them. He could manipulate the array, even from here. Especially with Black Rose's help. He could draw just a bit more power from the surrounding darkness and use the abyssal transport to send this Throne away. It had to be done now, while the Throne was still lingering between dormancy and activity. The firstborn was up, but very groggy. If they ever stood a chance of moving this Throne without rupturing the very center of Equestria, it had to be done now. But he was weak and even with the aid of all this untapped power and an equally weakened Black Rose, he needed help. As he saw it, there were two options, both of which must be utilized.

The Elements of Harmony remained great sources of power and they were right there, just a few feet away. Like his sisters, he had lost any affinity for using the Elements ever since Nightmare Moon's emergence. If he asked for their help, however, they were most likely to agree. Once they were free of this strange stasis that Oceanus caught them in. However, just how much more can the bearers bring out after spending so long in this oppressive environment and dealing with the Six Companions and their minions?

While the power of the Elements of Harmony could still shine through, their physical bodies may not be able to take on the strain. The elemental foci shattered when too much was asked of them. The flesh and blood of Twilight Sparkle and her friends could well follow suit.

If that still wasn't enough, Celestia and Luna were already manipulating the array and were thus immersing their magic in it. Under these circumstances...

That annoying smile of Black Rose's twitched just a bit. Wonderful, she was still on the same page as him. 'You'd life tap your sisters?' she had managed to ask without ever having to say a thing verbally or otherwise.

'Of course I will,' Terrato thought. 'They'd understand. They'd give to the last drop if they had to.'

There would be complications. The power of moonlight would resonate well with any necromantic intrusion. Luna wouldn't like the idea of a surprise draining, but he could always apologize later. The power of sunlight would react badly, especially with Celestia not knowing what he was planning to do. Roasting his eyeballs for trying to life tap his eldest sister would hardly be the worst thing to happen in this attempt.

A plan was in place, at least. As much of a plan as he could wing with everything that's happened anyway. Oceanus's presence was receding. It wouldn't be long until the rest of the ponies with him unfroze.

"Beloved..."

The first movements of what should be a massive and impromptu ritual was already going through Terrato's mind. "What is it?" he asked.

"I may not be able to say this before the end of this affair. I'm glad to be able to serve with you one more time."

"You're not going out in some blaze of glory, Rose," Terrato muttered. "You're coming with us back to Canterlot and we'll decide what to do with you there."

A flicker of eye movement came from Twilight Sparkle, followed soon after by Rarity and Lion Court. No surprise there. Here was another sudden decision that had to be made. Should they stop and explain everything to Twilight and the others first or just push through and let them figure things out?

"Huh?" Twilight asked. "Why's everypony just standing around? Let's—wait..."

Terrato snorted. She noticed it at least. The Elements of Harmony had gotten much stronger: certainly strong enough to defeat even the most horrific specters from the ponykind's dark past, but Oceanus could have wiped them all out before they even noticed.

"A little change of plans, I'm afraid," Black Rose said. "I finally received some feedback for my efforts with the Foul Weapon, and the next step is obvious. Surrendering now would be folly."

Twilight Sparkle's horn glowed brightly. "I knew it! Just another trick!"

"No tricks," Black Rose said. "Only last minute contingencies." The others were beginning to recover as she continued. "I have failed to secure any advantage with the Foul Weapon, but this trip has not been a wasted one. The face of our true enemy is now clear. He has no interest in his children. He finds our accomplishments insignificant and our struggles, boring. As such, we will expel his foul Throne from Equestria and prepare for battle. The stage has been set. I need only the last key players."

Twilight looked to Terrato, likely for back up as she prepared an initial spell.

"Save your magic, Twilight Sparkle," Terrato said. "We'll need every drop for this to work."

Twilight's jaw dropped for a second before she snapped it shut in an outrage. "You're siding with her?"

_"Wayward children of Oceanus..."_

Terrato stared at Twilight for a while, not with the usual stern or annoyed look he usually gave her, but a more somber, thoughtful one. He was young for an alicorn, born around the tail end of the sixteenth cycle, yet he was older than the oldest of the ponies of this world. The time which they had existed was but a tiny speck in the Eternal Herd's history. Most of the Council of Elders found them too insignificant to exterminate, which was likely a bigger hindrance to Gravitas's propositions than any of Lexarius's motions. Oceanus snored through their struggles. It felt as if only Lexarius and his sisters had any real concern for these ponies. So few amidst the vastness of the Herd. A mere three...

No, four.

"I'm on your side," Terrato said. She looked ready to argue, but a glance at his eyes gave her pause. Inwardly, he sighed with relief. He didn't want to argue with Twilight Sparkle. "You understand, don't you? You may not be able to see the damn thing, but you know it has to go."

Twilight Sparkle grit her teeth and glanced at Black Rose. It galled her of course. It galled her to see Black Rose sidling away from proper punishment as bigger and bigger problems arose. He snorted. Was it so long ago that she was on the wrong end of this mentality? She took on the whip because "proper punishment" had to be meted while bigger problems arose. Would she follow the same course as he did? Something worse? What would that make her?

"She bet on this, didn't she?" Twilight muttered. To Terrato's relief, Black Rose either didn't hear or didn't want to make things worse.

"No," Terrato said. He glanced at his former student. "Don't let the smile fool you. We're here to bail this gambler out."

Finally, Twilight Sparkle swallowed the lump of frustration building between her grinding jaws. She let out a long exhale and stared in the direction of the Throne. Resolve took over her face as she spoke.

"What do we need to do?"


	62. The Sending

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 62: The Sending**

Since he and his siblings first received them from their mother, Terrato had always wondered why the Elements of Harmony were so…necessary. They were powerful, without a doubt. Any foal could have notice that. But, even knowing how powerful the deranged Lexarius was, he had been confident of the combined might of himself and his sisters being good enough. Even Celestia had thought so and nopony believed in Lexarius more than his eldest sister. He had been the first to protest when their mother insisted that they bring the Elements of Harmony. The slightest bit of extra power felt like doubt. Bringing these powerful essences was humiliating.

But there was no swaying their mother. Divina Gratia had plenty of weight to throw around, but she rarely ever had to. She caught glimpses of possible futures, a talent rare even among the most powerful diviners within the Herd. When she asked a pony, any pony, to do something, they were inclined to do it knowing that there had to be some grand reason. So the royal siblings took the Elements of Harmony, not wanting to rely on them, but already resigned that they probably were going to be forced to.

Terrato now looked at the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and wondered. Had his mother seen this far? Had she known that the Elements would one day be passed on to Oceanus's children? That they would be the ray of hope in the midst of his abyss, perhaps the only way they could be saved from both his dark fate and the Herd's paranoia? Had she seen this motley band of ponies: Celestia's stubborn scholar of a student, a farmer, a weather manager, a baker, a dressmaker, and some recluse who lived with animals, as redemption for a wayward son's unwanted children? What had truly led to this moment? Was it their mother's wisdom or Black Rose's interference? Both?

"Are we ready?" Terrato asked. As the strongest necromancer around, he would have to lead this sending. He was tired, in more ways than one, and he didn't relish the idea of involving the Elements of Harmony in any necromantic ritual, but this had to be done.

"We're ready," Twilight Sparkle replied. A faint glow surrounded her and her friends. They were exhausted too. That they still radiated the power of the Elements of Harmony was heartening. "As we ready as we can be, I suppose."

"This is crazy," Rainbow Dash muttered. "Next thing we know, Black Rose's sitting on a throne and I've got another arrow in my cutie mark."

The Thorns had grouped up behind Black Rose, tending to their wounds as best they could. Their mistress, as confident as ever, stood just a few feet away from Terrato's side, already acting like his second without him having to say so. It felt so easy to lapse into the old habits. For both of them apparently. Black Rose knew the part she had to play, but another important caster didn't. Terrato stared at Twilight Sparkle until she flinched. He was about to teach this filly to participate in a necromantic ritual. She had the talent for it, he can sense that. Celestia probably sensed that as well. No doubt, this would eventually be a delightful breakfast topic with his eldest sister.

"Would you like me to instruct her for you?" Black Rose whispered.

"No," Terrato said. "It's my grave to dig. Tend to your Thorns, Rose, if you have some piddling amount of energy left, give them a few healing spells. The cellist, in particular, looks ready to drop." He walked over to Twilight, who, for a moment, looked ready to defend herself. "Listen closely, Twilight Sparkle, you're about to get your first lesson in Necromancy."

Terrato wasn't expecting a master necromancer to emerge; he wasn't even going to cover all the basics. He just needed a useful enough participant out of the most magically talented out of all the Elements of Harmony. Twilight Sparkle stood at the center of their formation. She was going to lead their concentrated effort and needed enough knowledge to participate.

A sudden impromptu lesson on Necromancy in the bowels of the Abyss with both teacher and student at the ends of their tethers was hardly the recipe for smooth learning, but as soon as he made his intention clear, Twilight Sparkle took to instruction with surprising ease. He was going to get nightmares from that gleam in her eyes when they get out of this later and she starts pestering him for more.

The lesson of course, was in Life Tap. The bearers likely didn't have enough strength to will their innate powers by their own might alone, but their very bodies and souls were infused with the power of Harmony. Tapping into their life force would draw it out. Of course, any necromancer, no matter the skill, stupid enough to try to tamper with the Elements of Harmony would be a cinder halfway through the process. The bearer of the Element of Magic would be the exemption though. It already had a pull with the other Elements. It could be done. It had to be done. Twilight Sparkle's curt nods were…assuring. She learned an unfamiliar, dangerous school of magic quickly. That she looked eager to try was a bit disconcerting.

The formation was simple enough. Terrato, Black Rose, and Twilight Sparkle formed the points of a triangle within a pentagon formed by the rest of the Elements of Harmony. Before them was the yawning void that was the Throne of Oceanus. More than ever, Terrato felt the eye of the firstborn on them. Oceanus watched lazily, perhaps mildly amused at the notion that they were going to attempt something to thwart him.

Terrato raised his horn and started the ritual. Twilight Sparkle wasn't the only one with special connections. He had but to search briefly and he was able to feel the presence of his sisters, still maintaining the enchantment that kept the bearers alive in the abyss. Did they feel his too? Was Celestia already wary of the necromantic energy seeping from the array? What about Luna? Did his younger sister know that Oceanus already watched them? Did both of them recognize his spell or were they already assuming that it was the firstborn finally attacking?

Life Tap.

It nearly jolted Terrato out of his concentration when he noticed that he and Twilight Sparkle cast the same spell. The other bearers had their eyes closed. When the Element of Magic's radiance enveloped theirs, each of them winced. That was the easy part, if there was any part of this sending that was going to be easy. The bearers were informed of what was going to happen and they were willing. Twilight Sparkle's biggest problem would be precision. Too little and the sending would fail. Too much and her friends would turn into undead abominations before her eyes. At least, she didn't have to worry about defenses.

No such windfall for Terrato. His magic reached high above them, drawing power from the abyss itself to reach his two sisters. He searched for the necromantic array that allowed ponies to even get to this place. When he pinpointed its location, he now had to slowly approach. To him, they were soft, warm presences. They were two lights, one gold and one silver, seemingly at the corner of his eyes. To them, he was a black, nebulous mass of intrusive magic flowing out of the array and surrounding them. He must resemble Oceanus more than ever.

'Concentrate, you spineless colt,' Terrato thought. 'You can feel as sorry as you want for yourself later when this is over.'

The approach was crucial. He willed his magic slowly, trying to make it seem that he was asking for permission. The power of the abyss would have overwhelmed them right away. He glanced to his fellow leads. Black Rose concentrated on weaving the building necromantic power, still confidently smiling. Twilight Sparkle glanced back at him nervously, her body becoming even more radiant. She had found the balance between getting as much power as possible and not sucking her friends dry, but time was also of the essence here. A lot of power was building up from various sources. Things would become too unstable if they took too long holding it. He reached out some more, bracing himself for a fierce, defensive lash.

The power of moonlight touched him first. Terrato would have breathed a sigh of relief at the first success, but there was an eagerness in that connection he found concerning. A portion of Luna's life force flowed through him and into the formation; a cool, calming blanket, like a peaceful night. Luna was able to understand in a heartbeat. Or she was willing to give a portion of herself to the power of abyss.

_'Concentrate!'_

That left the power of sunlight. Terrato hadn't even started to reach out when the pain of Celestia's doubts manifested like an unpleasant glare of light, piercing his eyelids while he was trying to get a few more minutes sleep. Luna had to be assuring her at this point. This was their brother, reaching out to them for help, as he should have centuries ago.

The minor glare only intensified. Apparently, Luna wasn't good with assurances or Celestia knew it was him, but was still too afraid that he might suck her soul out. Memories of her recoiling when he came closer, that fateful fight above the ruins of the Temple of the Three, came unbidden. So they were back to this again, weren't they? It almost felt as if they had accomplished nothing despite the reunification of Equestria.

An alarming surge of energy within the formation warned Terrato against further digression. He could just force the life tap. He could endure the flare of defensive magic knowing that Celestia could not break the link without removing herself from the necromantic array that kept Twilight Sparkle and the others alive. He had to force it. He was out of time. Yet, something still held him in that halfway point, hovering in the suspicious glare of the power of sunlight, not quite burning but far from comfortable.

'I am not Oceanus!'

That was becoming a far too frequent assertion Terrato had to make. The clinging, slimy adulation of the Old Kingdom's wretched souls disgusted and enraged him enough to tear into his own life force to break through, but that was nothing to this fear and suspicion. This was hardly new and stemmed from an old, frustrating sentiment from Celestia. He wasn't Oceanus. They were sons of Dominus and both gifted in Necromancy, but he wasn't the firstborn. Yet, each flinch Celestia made when he raised a hoof or approached her too suddenly seemed to point to that notion. He was getting tired of that connection.

'I am not Oceanus!'

Terrato let the rage affect the life tap. His dark presence flared up. Even Luna's power of moonlight wavered at this surge. The others in the formation also flinched. He didn't care. He was only interesting in one reaction at this moment. The power of sunlight's defensive posture hesitated and fluctuated. 'You understand, don't you?' Terrato thought. His sister didn't hear him of course, but he wanted to speak his mind anyway. 'This is my rage. The firstborn never got angry. The firstborn would have never waited for your permission. You know who I am, eldest sister.'

The power of sunlight finally relented. A surge of warmth, painful and pleasant all at once, flooded Terrato and the formation through him. The power of moonlight was calming and reassuring, the sublime dark of a peaceful night. The power of sunlight was dazzling and uplifting, a clear summer sky and a strong favorable breeze, perfect for an all out charge.

With his sisters on board at last, Terrato signaled his fellow conductors to move on to the next part of the sending. Swirling lights surrounded the formation: the multi-colored rays from the Elements of Harmony, the silvery glow of the power of moonlight and the golden radiance of the power of sunlight.

Terrato's ears pricked as he glanced around. Something was shifting in the abyss. Oceanus's throne remained dormant. The others didn't seem to notice the shift, not even Black Rose, who was smiling at the sight of the power of sunlight and moonlight, nor Twilight Sparkle who was concentrating heavily on not killing her friends. "Power of sunlight…" he muttered. Oceanus didn't like the sudden intrusion of Celestia's power into his realm, the same power of the pony that hurled him out of the Herd to begin with. Perhaps he wasn't going to be so complacent now.

The others flinched and perked their ears. They could feel the shift now as the very Throne they were trying to move started to react. Pinkie Pie opened her mouth as if to say something, but Sablesteel glared her into silence. Things were moving smoothly now. As Terrato had hoped, they had enough combined magical energy and enough skill with Necromancy to get this thing out of Equestria.

**"Little brother…"**

Terrato scowled. The others didn't hear Oceanus's voice, so it must be through thoughts that the firstborn was speaking to him.

**"You may have this back."**

Terrato failed to stop a sharp intake of breath. That was enough to alert his fellow conductors. For once, Black Rose's confident smile turned into a look of concern. Likewise, Twilight Sparkle snapped alert. The Thorns drew weapons, a futile gesture ultimately. The rest of the bearers also looked on with concern.

A loud splash, like a massive boulder being hurled into the sea, erupted around them. "Hold!" Terrato shouted, his throat only hurting further when he did so. He redoubled his efforts on the ritual. The bearers were about to break formation to face this potential threat. They couldn't move now. At this point, they might blow themselves up along with everything in a mile radius.

"Terrato!"

Terrato's eyes widened. He knew that deep, powerful voice, despite the horrible gurgling noise that distorted it: Gravitas.

"Impossible…" Black Rose whispered.

Out of the void of Oceanus's Throne flew a hideous, broken…thing that vaguely resembled a pony. That was Gravitas light gray fur and his misty, dark blue mane, both splotched and encrusted with black, as if he was covered in partly frozen ink. For a moment, it wasn't clear if he was charging them or if the Throne was spitting him out. Atrox, cracked in several places and covered in the same frozen corruption waved erratically in front of the maddened alicorn.

Terrato's mind raced. Gravitas was going to reach the formation in a few more seconds. Somepony capable had to engage. The Thorns were no match for Gravitas, even if they were at full strength and even if he was this broken. The Elements of Harmony couldn't be moved, not at this crucial moment. He was wielding tapped portions of the power of sunlight and moonlight. Only—

Black Rose had already left the circle. Without her precise control, the surging energies nearly erupted. Twilight Sparkle strained violently, blood bursting from her nose and leaking out of the corners of her eyes.

Terrato's own wounds opened up and sizzled as the backlash coursed through him. He grit his teeth to avoid crying out even as blood poured between his teeth. Agonizing as this backlash was, it was the least amount of damage. Black Rose did not have specific sources of energy tied to her so her breaking formation wasn't lethal.

"Complete the sending!" Black Rose said. There was no honey in her words this time. Her horn crackled feebly as she met Gravitas's charge. "Beloved, you and Twilight Sparkle can complete this on your own! Don't waste thoughts on me!"

'Easier said than done!' Terrato thought. He spat out a large glob of blood and refocused. Twilight Sparkle's legs were shaking, both from exhaustion and from fighting the urge to join the fray. The other bearers, though spared the damage from the sudden shift in the formation's power, also struggled to stay in place. The more exhausted ones, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, looked ready to faint. But they had to stay. His heart was aching, not just from the backlash either, but he had to stay put.

"I overestimated you, Gravitas," Black Rose said. "I thought that you had been a worthy enough foe against Oceanus so that he would relish swallowing you."

The broken body of Gravitas slowed to a hover. His neck had been wrenched to an unnatural angle and his lower jaw was barely attached to the rest of his face, but he still managed to speak. "Mortal," he gurgled. "You have toyed with powers beyond you. Sending the pieces of your soul across the void of Vestibulum would be too lenient a fate."

Black Rose wrinkled her nose. Despite his need to concentrate, Terrato couldn't blame her. Gravitas was dripping some kind of filthy water. He smelled like a week-old corpse fished out of a stagnant pond. The icy blackness clinging to him looked like they were melting, but they didn't appear to be getting smaller. At this range, it was easy to see that they were sprouting from within, like malignant, crystallized tumors.

"Perhaps it is," Black Rose said, her voice steely. "But I'm not ready to float around in a void yet. I made a mistake depending on you, Gravitas. I do not like being reminded of mistakes." Her horn flashed and several bolts of white-hot fire flew at Gravitas.

"Weak…" Gravitas muttered. Terrato snorted. That was a poor showing; all too revealing of Black Rose's weakened state.

Even as Gravitas lifted Atrox for another strike, the cracks on it continued to spread. More of the blackened crystallizations crept out of the cracks and wept the same tainted liquid. It was a simple overhead strike that came after Black Rose, almost like a careless swat towards a bothersome gnat.

A blast of energy flew past Atrox, missing the weapon by a mere inch and striking its wielder head on. The angry and confused grunt from Gravitas as he flew back would be satisfying if the view of the explosion wasn't obscured by the cloud of blood that erupted from Black Rose.

A dozen cuts had materialized around Black Rose's torso; the outward signs of excessive Life Tap. The strategy was so simplistic that it was almost laughable that Gravitas fell for it: bait the enemy into carelessness with a poor showing and follow up with a powerful strike. Perhaps he was so prideful as to continue to look down on a pony who had already done so much damage to him. Perhaps the corruption had already destroyed his mind, turning him into a caricature of his very worst traits. Certainly, his movements looked stiff and his focus appeared scattered. This was not the general who fought so valiantly during the void rift crisis or the first rebellion. This was a partly digested remnant, some decayed wrench that Oceanus threw at them out of amusement. Particularly galling was that how easily they could all die here because of the firstborn's leftovers.

The explosion was no wave of evocation magic, however. When the light faded, a massive chain of gold and black energies had wound itself around Gravitas, its end connected to Black Rose's horn. The shadowy chain wasn't the only attack that came, however. A trio of swords flew in before the blast could dissipate, along with a barrage of darts and a couple of arrows. The Thorns stood next to their mistress in a heartbeat.

"Your highness!"

Twilight Sparkle's pained cry of a reminder brought Terrato's back to the formation. The void was…moving. It was hard to pinpoint how exactly he was sensing it, but he knew that there was a shift in the Throne's position. Great arcs of brilliant white light flew towards the blackness, coursing across a massive sphere. Finally, they could make out some sort of form for the Throne. It appeared as a perfect sphere, the size of which made them look like insects trying to crawl up a boulder. Was this how a Throne was supposed to look like? Or was this just some outer shell?

"Your highness…" Twilight said through grit teeth. "You need to lead! I don't know how to proceed with this ritual!"

Terrato desperately put Black Rose out his mind. The last words coming from her direction he heard was from Sablesteel.

"I've got nothing to use against that alicorn, mistress!" Sablesteel said. "So sacrifice my life first!"

"No!" Pinkie Pie cried out upon hearing this. For her distraction, an arc of the energy they were manipulating surged through her. She cried out, but even her pained screamed was partly drowned out as crimson gushed out of her mouth, forming large globs that evaporated amidst the building power.

It was a bad idea perhaps, or even an unforeseen event on Black Rose's part to have her Thorns become too involved with the Elements of Harmony. Antagonize them, test them, yes. Making them care…no. The Thorns were recruited to be ultimately expendable, but if Black Rose started using them as batteries now, the ritual may fail. The other bearers were glancing at the fight now. Their bonds, which which gave them their great strength, now threatened to destroy them.

The surges of energy around the massive black sphere increased in both intensity and violence. A look of fear crossed Twilight Sparkle's face as an arc of raw power flew past their formation, missing only by a few feet and causing all their fur to briefly stand on end. 'Rose…' That was the last time Terrato allowed the mare to cross his mind. Biting back concern and frustration, he shut his eyes tight and focused.

* * *

><p>The wild magic flying about due to their barely put together ritual left Twilight Sparkle quaking. A few moments ago, everything was dark and quiet: Black Rose offering her surrender peacefully, this long, gloomy journey seemingly about to come to a close with just one more push. Then, in an instant, the whole world seemed to have gone insane. She was deliberately sucking the life from her friends and Black Rose was protecting them.<p>

In front of her, Prince Terrato looked like he finally shut out all the chaos around them. The lines of tension around his face and the bulging muscles around his neck and jaw showed just how much effort letting his former student fight by herself took. The glowing red cracks on his hide, like the magma-filled openings of a dangerously active volcano, looked as if they were getting wider and about to spew fire.

Despite Terrato's worrisome condition, some stability had returned to the formation. Twilight could concentrate less on keeping the magic from ripping her insides out and focus more on keeping everypony alive and actually performing the sending.

The ground shook…no, that wasn't quite right. Twilight could feel her surroundings shake even though there was no "ground". The surrounding abyss was quivering. It felt as if she was inside a massive cave in, without anything falling.

"Cease this necromancy!" Gravitas roared.

Twilight nearly broke the spell. That sounded far too close for comfort. She could almost feel Gravitas's fetid breath on her face. Following that bellow was the loud clinking of a chain pulling taut. She had to look. Straining to maintain the balance, she glanced up.

As she had feared, Gravitas was only a few feet away from crashing into the formation. What was wrong with this mad alicorn? Disrupting the ritual now would kill all of them!

Wrapped tightly around Gravitas's still powerfully-muscled chest was a black and gold length of chain, with links the size of a pony's head. The other end of it emerged from Black Rose's glowing horn. Next to her, Octavia played desperately on her cello, the blood pouring from the earth pony's face and streaming down the strings. Lion Court's horn was also glowing, but his blades found little purchase against the magical defenses still around Gravitas. Both he and Sablesteel had enormous fresh cuts across their sides, likely the result of Black Rose tapping into their bodies for magical power. Longstride was down to his last few arrows, but he wasn't aiming. Whatever shot he was going to make, it had to be when there was a clear opening.

"Perhaps this works to my advantage after all, Gravitas," Black Rose said. She tried to crack a smile, but there was no hiding the strain it took her to maintain the illusory chains that bound her target. If she faltered now, the ritual was over. "Oceanus digesting you would have left nothing. Now, there's proof that you mighty Herd ponies are hardly any different from us against the corruption!"

"I am not corrupt!" was the bellowing reply.

The huge pillar that Gravitas used rose and slammed against the chain, only to snap like a brittle piece of old, decayed rubble. The blackened crystalline gunk all over the weapon exploded like so much fragile glass.

"Mighty Atrox, nothing more than garbage!" Black Rose cried out triumphantly. The blood that continued to form a cloud of crimson around her did not reinforce that sense of victory.

Gravitas let out another deafening cry of rage and turned on Black Rose, his broken front hooves raised for a killing stomp. Sablesteel exploded into action, diving beneath the alicorn and jabbing with both bladed front hooves. Her weapons met magical shields with a loud, reverberating clang. With a cry of frustration, she pulled back and stabbed even harder. A loud ping answered her redoubled efforts and, when she flew out of Gravitas's reach, her foreleg blades had disappeared.

On his part, Gravitas did not slow in his attack, shrugging off the Thorns like gnats. His hooves found no purchase, however. Wounded and weakened as she was, Black Rose still showed nimble reflexes. No teleport spell brought her out of harm's way, but she jumped aside just as the hooves were about to crush her. In an instant she was standing sideways, just a few feet from Gravitas's right, her horn still glowing with the illusory chain spell.

"What's the matter, brute?" Black Rose asked. "The silly mortals giving you a hard time?"

Blinded by rage, Gravitas moved away from the ritual and pursued Black Rose. With the formation temporarily safe, Twilight could again look to the sending. The immense powers of the Elements of Harmony swirled around her, bathing her in a soft light that banished the misery of the abyss far more completely than the raging flames she had summoned earlier. She should be used to this brilliance by now. She had seen it defeat Nightmare Moon twice and turn Discord back to stone. But it seemed different this time.

Surrounded by the blackness of the abyss, the light pouring forth from the Elements of Harmony appeared even more glorious than Twilight remembered. This sending was more powerful than what they needed to bring down their previous foes. Just a few weeks ago, even a few days ago, Twilight would have never believed that they could bring out or require this much. Yet, here they were. Her friends were exhausted and wounded. They occasionally glanced worriedly at the fight raging just a few feet away, but they mostly focused their assured gazes on Twilight. Nopony showed any signs of flagging, despite the vast amounts of power and vitality that Twilight had already pulled from them. Not even Fluttershy, who was injured before they even headed to this place, and Pinkie Pie, who looked so lost back in the Barrier Lands. 'We're stronger,' she thought. 'Whether it's from Black Rose's prodding or because we need to be more than ever, I know we're stronger.'

The black sphere shifted again and the abyss quivered. A faint groaning sound, reminiscent of creaking, straining floorboards blew past them. As this thing moved, the darkness centered on it grew more unstable. Twilight surmised that, once it was expelled, this foulness close to Equestria's heart will be one great step closer to being completely mended. She remembered the horrible sensations back in Clover the Clever's last refuge. She would be glad to cleanse her home of all these dark remnants.

"Mistress!"

Sablesteel's cry jerked Twilight's attention back to the fight. The formation's energies shifted slightly, but she still had it under control. Terrato's total concentration held the magic steady enough to pick up any sudden slack. Twilight couldn't help but wonder how he could remain so stone-faced now with his former student and lover fighting desperately so close. Was it indifference that held him in place or complete faith?

As for Black Rose, it was immediately clear why Sablesteel had cried out in concern. Her chain still held, but her right foreleg dangled uselessly, clearly broken in several places. A small shard of bone appeared to be sticking out of one of her wounds there.

"Your taunts fall silent, I see," Gravitas gurgled. "You realize now…how you've bitten off more than your entire tainted race…could hope to chew."

"You're not celebrating because you hit me, are you, Gravitas?" Black Rose asked between pants. "I didn't realize how small your goals have become."

"I have only…ever had one goal…" Gravitas's voice struggled past his labored wheezing. "To… protect my kind."

"In this one thing, you deluded, paranoid foal, we have something in common," Black Rose said. She raised her head weakly, pulling on the chain and dragging Gravitas back for a foot. She hurled the end of the chain attached to her horn towards the coruscating orb. After a few seconds, it appeared as if the end had simply stopped in mid-air. Without Black Rose's constant magical feeding, however, the spell started to wane. "For what it's worth, this victory will aid both the Herd and Equestria."

"Liar!"

Even as Gravitas bellowed, the tremors grew even more violent. Even maintaining footing proved difficult. Twilight could sense a powerful gate opening, an anomaly for the school of necromancy as was their transport here. She could feel the tremendous pressure within her starting to grow as the ritual demanded more from its participants. It was as if every drop of her blood was trying to squeeze out of her body. The others were not faring any better. While her friends had started out strong and resolute, they were now breathing heavily and nursing fresh wounds around their bodies. Twilight could not keep life tapping them for much more.

Gravitas finally looked back to the ritual, some of his mindless rage clearing from the look of things. He tried to interrupt, but the chain still held true, its links stretching taut and straining. The Thorns still made no headway with their attacks. Octavia fell on her face amidst a cloud of her own blood, her cello clattering after her.

As more time passed, it became more obvious that the Throne was moving too slowly. 'It has to work!' she told herself inwardly. 'We've put everything we have in this!'

"Twilight…" Twilight looked up in time to catch Pinkie Pie fall to her knees. "Keep going," Pinkie Pie said. Her lips quivered in some futile attempt to give a reassuring smile. "We're almost there, right?"

Fluttershy followed suit, her face twisting with that same terrifying glare from their fight earlier. The others were not far behind.

The Throne inched along, so to speak. Twilight could not see any actual difference they were making amidst the chaotic surges across that massive sphere. All she had was an instinctive sense of how the ritual was going.

Then, whatever sense of movement Twilight could feel from the Throne lurched to a stop. She gasped sharply and looked towards Terrato. He remained stone-faced and unmoving, but the beads of sweat forming around him told much. As if he sensed her gaze, he opened his eyes and spoke in a strained, grim voice. "We need more. One final push."

Twilight's chest tightened. They didn't have more. Not without somepony dying. She cursed under her breath. If only they didn't spend so much strength against the Six Companions! She looked around her desperately. Where else could they get more?

Black Rose landed at the center of the formation, right next to Twilight. "We've made it, haven't we?" she asked. "One more little nudge to seal the deal and we all know what that's going to be."

"Rose!" Terrato growled. He winced from the effort, blood pouring from his nostrils. "If you die here, you will die within his influence! And one life won't be enough! Not even yours!"

"Oh, but I have more than just my life to give, don't I?" Black Rose said. She held out her left hoof, forming a knife of pure void, the same knife that she had used on Princess Celestia. "Have you forgotten the countless lives I absorbed to maintain my longevity? You must have, beloved, or you would have leeched it out of me with your void spears. Upon my destruction, the power stored by their sacrifices will be released with one final burst of magic."

"Rose…no…"

"We'll part ways for another short while, beloved. If I am taken…" Black Rose's voice faltered. For a moment, she looked ready to change her mind. Her lips pressed tightly, her eyes looked distant, into a fate that seemed so terrible. Those soft gray eyes were suddenly liquid with fear for that moment. After that, they calmed into resignation. "Then you have only further incentive to free all those trapped by Oceanus in his true realm."

"Rose!"

The void knife plunged into Black Rose's chest and a fountain of light erupted from her, joining the still swirling energies that linked the formation and the sphere. "Twilight Sparkle!" she called out, her voice already faint and distant. When Twilight looked at her, she smiled weakly. "Thank you."

It was as if Black Rose had been made up of fragile charcoal, slowly crumbling away as the fountain of light from her intensified. The serene smile never left her face as the last vestiges of her disintegrated. Gravitas bellowed in the background, still stuck to the Throne as the sending completed. Twilight could only stare. She didn't even need to focus on the ritual, the final push ensured its success.

**"Little brother."**

Twilight froze. That voice. She shuddered at the deep, silky voice of such a powerful stallion. Where had wonderful sound come from? Was that-? She shook her head. What was she babbling about in her mind? Wonderful? This was the monster that the Old Kingdom was dedicated to!

**"I shall let you keep whatever it is that you tried to protect with this sending, but this one…I shall be keeping this one."**

"Oceanus…" Terrato's jaw clenched tightly and he struck the abyss with a cracked hoof. He shut his eyes as a trickle of tears started to escape them. His voice cracked when he spoke. "You have no right to have her! I swear…I swear-!"

There was no answer. A flash of light seared away everything, forcing Twilight to shut her eyes tightly. The sheer silence that followed left her giddy. There was no explosion, no final rumblings, or even cries from Gravitas being dragged away with the Throne or her friends being hurt.

The blackness of the abyss seemed thicker than ever. A few seconds passed and Twilight realized that it was their personal radiance that had dimmed. Not only that, the inner pressure from before was replaced by a crushing sensation all around her. It felt as if she was trapped in a slowly shrinking room of flesh. "What…" her voice was husky and raw. She could feel blood at the back of her throat. "What happened? Did we win?"

"That awful thing is gone…" Rarity whispered. Her own voice almost gone as well. "We succeeded."

"Then, we're going home, right?" Pinkie Pie asked. She winced when she tried to raise her voice above a whisper. "We can finally leave this place?"

"There is no leaving this place," Terrato said. They all looked at him. He sat, staring at the center of the formation where Black Rose had been. "We had paid so much to complete the sending. My sisters do not have the strength to call any of us back through the necromantic array. Without the Throne, this portion of the abyss is collapsing on itself. We're lucky none of us will die in his influence with his Throne gone."

"What…what are you saying?" Applejack asked. "What's going to happen to us?"

"I'm saying that you should make your peace with this world, Applejack," Terrato said.

"It's over."


	63. Sunlit Glory

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 63: Sunlit Glory**

Celestia collapsed on her belly, gasping for air as if she had almost drowned, bleeding from a dozen cuts that had appeared across her body, and aching as if she had tumbled down a steep mountainside. In front of her, Luna fared just as badly. From the depths of the abyss, the black touch of Terrato's necromantic power had reached out to them. When they had accepted, it was as if their brother had suddenly become bent on sucking out their very souls to feed to the hungry abyss. Something was happening down there; something terrible and desperate. Celestia gave and gave, even resigning herself to dying when no end to the life tapping appeared. She had sent Twilight Sparkle and the others into danger so often, even throwing them into the Barrier Lands to protect her lies. Now, they faced the danger yet again. She trusted Terrato's judgment this time. Suffering wounds and allowing her very life force to be drained was a small price to pay.

When the life tapping stopped, Celestia's apprehension only worsened. She and her sister had been severely weakened to the point that they could barely maintain the necromantic array. If they failed now, the Elements of Harmony would be swallowed by the abyss, but they didn't have enough energy to pull anypony out of there. The only option seemed to be to hold on with their dwindling strength until everypony managed to climb out on their own.

"Big sister," Luna said between pants. "Something strange is happening down there."

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked.

"The firstborn's presence. I can't sense it anymore. Oceanus's Throne is no longer beneath us." Luna stared forlornly at the array. "I fear that the abyss will soon collapse on itself without the Throne. The others…"

"We have to get them out," Celestia said. She struggled to her hooves, her horn glowing with all her remaining strength. "We have to pull them through the array."

"I'll give it everything, big sister," Luna said as she also forced her legs to support her. Her voice carried not a hint of confidence in succeeding, but all the determination to die trying.

The necromantic array's runes glowed as the power of sunlight and moonlight flooded it, but the light was dim, barely visible in the muted atmosphere of the Old Kingdom. Beads of sweat formed around Celestia's forehead, mixing with the blood still there before dropping. No, she couldn't do it. Even with Luna helping, she couldn't pull anypony out of the abyss. She also felt it too. Something had changed past the array and even the dark presence within the Old Kingdom was waning.

"Big sister…"

Celestia couldn't answer. She didn't have an answer. Ponies that she cherished were slipping away while all she could do was stare blankly at a stone floor. Tears followed those drops of sweat and blood. If only…

Celestia raised her gaze. Her answer was not going to come from this necromantic array. No power from the Old Kingdom or Oceanus could help her now. She stared at the sky above. The sun still shone despite the clouds of winter, despite the foulness of the Old Kingdom. A few rays still made their way to this wretched spot.

"Your majesty…" she whispered, slipping into the language she was born into. It's been a long time since she felt the need to speak in the Herd's tongue. Addressing the one she needed now, however, required nothing less.

* * *

><p>Luna slammed a hoof against the dimly glowing necromantic array. The loud ping of metal against stone echoed mockingly within the enormous dome. The shock from the impact jarred her already wounded leg and sent jolts of pain shooting into her shoulder. It wasn't pain that brought fresh tears to her eyes though. The frustration of it all: of having to stay out here while the ponies they were supposed to be protecting did all the hard work, being able to do nothing when those ponies now stood at the brink of annihilation. What else could they sacrifice to save everypony in the abyss? She looked to her own fragile life, already ebbing from the dozen cuts that her brother's life tapping had caused. Even giving it would not do.<p>

"Your majesty…" Luna heard her sister say in the Herd's tongue. For a moment, she forgot about the pain and frustration. There were only two beings that her sister, indeed herself, would address as such.

'Oh, Celestia,' Luna thought, her heart aching at the sight. It was a pointless, desperate attempt. The ponies Celestia called out to were a world away, unreachable without magic that would have been enough to pull at least a few ponies from the abyss.

"Your majesty, King Sanctus Dominus, Rightful Ruler of the Eternal Herd, Sixteenth Ascendant to the Throne," Celestia went on. Her voice was so soft, it would have been difficult to hear just a few feet away, let alone across worlds. "Under the shadow of the firstborn's false Throne, your subjects seek your aid. The power of the abyss threatens those under your protection, we ask-"

Celestia paused and wiped a tear away from her cheek. She inhaled deeply to compose herself. "We beg," she said. "We humbly beg that our regalia be restored."

Luna could only shake her head silently. That was a fanciful and impossible notion. Their regalia had been taken away as punishment and the King had decreed that they would never again wield it until they had returned from their rebellious stay in this world. Still, she didn't dare interrupt Celestia.

"Your majesty, we-!" A sob she failed to stifle wracked Celestia. Fresh tears poured down her cheeks. For a while, she could only sob and sniffle, her shoulders quivering in her efforts to control herself. "Father," she finally choked out. "Father, please…"

Celestia stared at the pitiless ground. "I was disobedient," she said. "And I was so wrong so many times. You told me to do what I believed was right. I tried and all I did was hurt others. You taught me to stay true, even if I fail. I will stay true to this course. The King's word is inviolable, but I ask you, father…please grant me the strength to make things right." Celestia lifted her gaze towards the sky, to the sun still shining despite the wintry clouds and the muted atmosphere of the Old Kingdom. Her voice rose to a cry. "Grant me the strength to save those I cherish! The strength that closed the void rifts! The strength that cast down the false throne! Father!"

And Celestia fell silent, her gaze falling again. Luna had expected the silence that followed. But knowing and wishing had never been so different. 'He will not respond,' Luna told herself. 'Even if he could hear, ultimately, Sanctus Dominus is King first and the King will not take back his decree. We must look to other means—'

The thought went still in Luna's mind as the fur at the back of her neck rose. There was magic tingling in the air, a faint humming for now, but with a sense of building power. She looked to Celestia. Was this some trick? Did her sister hold back some secret trump card after all? Perhaps a mana battery of immense power, hidden away for the most desperate occasions…

The building power intensified and Luna recognized the warm sensation enveloping her and her sister alike. Power of Sunlight. Some kind of gate was forming nearby. Hope welled from within Luna and warred with a sense of pragmatism. She couldn't look at the gate above them. She didn't want to start expecting. Was it the King responding? Were their regalia indeed being restored?

'No,' Luna thought. 'That's impossible. It can't be. It shouldn't be.' She shut her eyes tightly for a few moments, suddenly unsure now as to why she was so vehemently denying what might happen even as explanations formed themselves in her thoughts. Perhaps it was possible with Celestia. Her sister was, after all, a master of summoning conjurations. Perhaps her pleas were still carried through wisps of transportation magic, faint enough just for the King to intercept. Add to that their mutual affinity for the power of sunlight. Yes, that was it. The King was powerful enough to intercept even a faint message from a fellow pony blessed with the power of sunlight. With the final rebellions so close, he must be almost ready to leave the Silver Sanctum now, just as Oceanus was already showing signs of awakening.

_'Would his majesty have answered if it was me who called?'_

Luna shook her head. 'No,' she begged inwardly. 'Don't think that. This is a blessed, glorious event. I should be happy, hopeful…' She pressed a hoof against her own wounds, relishing the sharp pain she caused as if it served to punish those wretched, envious feelings.

Even as Luna struggled inwardly, the warmth of sunlight flowing from above soothed her aches and slowly filled her with a supernatural sense of elation. This power…it was similar to Celestia's power of sunlight, but not quite. How majesty could be transmitted through emanations of light, she didn't know, but the grandiose presence she would associate with the King poured out from the gate, banishing the foulness of the Old Kingdom with ease.

And then something flew out of the gate, slamming in front of Celestia like a golden lightning bolt. Luna looked away on instinct, but the terrific flash did not hurt her eyes, nor was it followed by a deafening boom. When she looked again, her sister was staring at brilliant aura of her regalia.

Aurea Gloriam.

When the left blade of Sanctus Dominus shattered during the destruction of the Agamanthion, Divina Gratia had asked the royal smith, Conlis Corde, to re-forge the recovered four pieces with new metal, asking that he allow instinct to guide him into their new shapes. From the tip of the blade, this spear emerged. No seams marked the weapon, from its leaf-shaped head to its smooth shaft. The weapon shone gold, like a solidified beam of pure sunlight; a perfect weapon for the princess to whom it was gifted to.

Though she was fiercely proud of her regalia and treasured it as the King's gift, Celestia never carried Gloriam in public. The sight of it next to her made her appear to war-like to her taste. Gloriam had no frills about it. Here was no weapon of ceremony. Here was a weapon to bring the Princess of Sunlight's wrath down on her enemies.

Celestia stared at Gloriam for a while, the last of her tears simply evaporating from being so close to such power. Her horn glowed as she picked it up with her magic. In response, a fine engraving, delicately spiraling down from the head's base, glowed white. "The power of my blow has no equal," it proudly proclaimed.

"Father…" Celestia said softly. Her eyes hardened as she focused her gaze on the array. "Divina Impetum!" she cried out. Aurea Gloriam rose above her head, its tip erupting with golden arcs that flashed across the entirety of the Old Kingdom. It was as if a storm of sunlight crackled all around them. The soft warmth from earlier now turned into thundering sense of wrath. It wasn't fear that sent Luna's heart hammering, but a glorious sense of anticipation.

With a loud neigh, Celestia hurled Aurea Gloriam into the necromantic array. Both of them flapped their wings in time as the entire floor caved in from the impact. The roaring rush of a wave of sunlight funneling after the spear's wake ruffled their feathers. Around them, large cracks spread out across the ground and the walls of the dome. The sound of rubble collapsing echoed not just within the dome, but all throughout the Old Kingdom's ruins. For now, Luna didn't mind them; the sight of that mighty throw left her breathless and giddy. For once, she felt as if they could take on Oceanus head on, that his power of the abyss would never truly match the true strength of the Herd.

And as the sunlight continued to pour into the resulting hole of Celestia's strike, Luna couldn't help but look down it eagerly.

* * *

><p>Even as the pressure crushing her from all sides increased, Twilight Sparkle still searched desperately for some kind of solution. "Make peace with this world," Prince Terrato had said. She refused. She wasn't at peace and she would never be at peace so long as the foul shadow of Oceanus lay across Equestria. Around her, her friends looked lost, caught between accepting their eventual demise and clinging desperately to hope.<p>

Pinkie Pie caught her staring and stared back, eyes pleading for some miraculous spell. Applejack stared at what passed for the ground. This would not be the first time Applejack was this close to death, perhaps experience left her more accepting and silent. Rainbow looked as if she was trying to push back at the collapsing space, as if an act of raw strength could do something to save them. Rarity was quietly staring morosely at her mage-blades, wincing briefly once in a while as the pressure worsened. Fluttershy was staring at a distance, her ruined eye glowing softly with that strange green energy again. Was she conversing with that other thing that came out earlier? Making peace with some inner creature that nopony else knew about? Twilight may never know and it might not matter.

As for the prince, he sat at a distance from them, still staring at the last spot Black Rose had been, never uttering a word since he spoke to Applejack. He didn't even flinch from the crushing pressure. The cracks in his hide oozed blood and pulsed with red light, the only sign of life, coming from him.

The Thorns fared worse. Sablesteel had shut down completely, her weapons broken, her suit ruined and her limbs limp by her sides. Some of her mane had already fallen out of the mask and hid her face, but she sat there as if she were dead already, with only the faint movement of her sides from breathing as the only signs otherwise. Octavia was unconscious and bloody, cradled in Lion Court's forelegs to keep her from being crushed already. Her cello lay nearby, pulsing with red light. It was likely that whatever magic that allowed it to perform the supernatural effects of her music was struggling to keep it from being destroyed. As for Lion Court, out of everypony in this collapsing abyss, he appeared the most ready to meet his end. He even seemed eager. There was a faint smile on his face as he shifted his gaze from Octavia to the rest of his fellows. Longstride was about as unmoving as Sablesteel, although with less dejection. While Sablesteel had collapsed, it appeared as if somepony had simply turned off whatever was keeping Longstride going. He sat there, eyes open and emotionless, refusing to move without orders, even though the only pony likely able to give them was gone.

And then, in an instant, the sight of all these ponies around her vanished into whiteness. Twilight gasped. For a moment, she assumed that she had finally died. But the warmth that followed couldn't possibly be from being crushed by the collapsing abyss. The light didn't hurt, but she closed her eyes anyway. Old feelings welled up along with memories. She had felt this before. All of a sudden, she was a filly again, capering about the Royal Palace, excited to be learning from the Princess of Equestria herself.

And there was Princess Celestia by the balcony, bathed in the light of the early morning. Her smile gentle, her countenance inviting. Yes, she remembered this feeling. It was the same as being cradled in the princess's wings; the same warmth, even the same fragrance. With some of the glare fading, she focused now on the figures nearby. Like her, her friends were cradled in the same light, their expressions caught between wonder and puzzlement. The Thorns, save for Sablesteel, who refused to budge, and the unconscious Octavia, also looked pleasantly surprised.

Even Prince Terrato's stony depression temporarily cracked. He didn't glance around his surroundings though. His gaze focused on something in front of him. Twilight followed that gaze and found a great, golden spear lodged into the abyss, the light still trailing from its passage. The power of sunlight was unmistakable.

"Aurea Gloriam," Terrato muttered. The brief moment of surprise disappeared with a snort. "Now, you show up."

The sunlight cradling Twilight and the others did more than just comfort. It tugged at them gently but surely, pulling them towards where the throw had come from. The spear flared and all of them set into motion, following the golden, radiant, trail back to its source.

Back to Equestria.

* * *

><p>The cracks continued to spread around the dome, much to Luna's discomfiture. They had to move soon or the Old Kingdom was going to collapse on them. She continued to wait next to her sister though, still confident in saving her brother and all the rest. Bits of dust fell on her mane and small portions of the ceiling crumbled into clouds of dust. Finally, with a joyous cry from Celestia, the hole flared and several figures emerged.<p>

"Twilight!" Celestia cried out.

Twilight Sparkle was the first on her hooves and she was embracing Celestia in an instant. The others were not far behind, at least most of them. What remained of the Thorns did not dare join the embrace and Terrato was simply staring at the ceiling before he locked gazes with Luna.

"We have to go," Terrato said. He flapped his wings and winced, fresh blood spattering on the ground.

"Big brother, I'll carry you," Luna said. She had already moved to his side, appalled by the number and extent of his wounds. She had thought the effect of life tapping was bad on her, but she could still fly. He didn't look fit to walk. At her offer, she had expected him to make a sputtering refusal, but all he did was give a curt nod and a distant look. Luna looked around. Black Rose was not with them. That was all the explanation she needed.

Though exhausted and wounded themselves, only Celestia and Luna were capable of getting the group from the swiftly collapsing city. The abyss underneath the Old Kingdom had apparently collapsed upon itself and whatever magic that held the structure above it was now gone. The Old Kingdom, built on an impossible space to begin with, was rushing downwards in a whirlpool of tainted rubble.

Celestia's power of sunlight still enveloped everypony, keeping them suffused in comforting warmth. Aurea Gloriam reappeared next to her in a silent flash, ready to serve its wielder. Retreat was the order of the day, however, Celestia raised the spear and let her mastery of summoning conjurations take over. The entire group was gone in a flash, only to reappear in the midst of the still recovering Legion.

They had reappeared within a camp, a little bit past the edges of Sky Mirror Lake. Most of the Legion had encircled the shores with encampments. The lake itself was filled with the broken wreckage of the Old Kingdom's constructs. A few legionnaires flitted among them, searching for wounded, recovering still useable equipment, and separating the fallen from the debris. The sunset's red-orange rays that illuminated the sight. 'How strange,' Luna thought. It appears we have only been gone a few hours, but it feels like years.'

After some initial gasps of surprise, nearby legionnaires sprang into action. Medics rushed in to tend to the wounded. Fresh bandages and healing spells, even simple comforts like a drink of fresh water soon followed. Even as one medic wrapped her torso up, Luna couldn't take her eyes off the Old Kingdom. Its twisted spires toppled over, raising large clouds of dust. The walls and the buildings followed. It was as if the earth itself was sucking in the city down.

"Alert!" a legionnaire shouted at a distance. Horns blew and those in the vicinity of the lake started rushing out. A distant roar of onrushing water followed the horns. The devices Lexarius had set up must have failed and the lake was coming in to complete the land's reclamation.

'Go to where you belong, Old Kingdom,' Luna thought. 'Our history and nowhere else.'

It was all over in moments. Where the horrors of a bygone age once lay, now lay a placid lake. Even the ominous mirror-like sheen on the water had disappeared. For a while, all of them simply stared at the newly reborn lake. Then, a low cheer came from somepony nearby. Others picked it up until it turn into a joyous uproar. Though the Legion did not know the details, Luna could understand the elation. Every pony instinctively knew that a powerful enemy had been vanquished within that wretched place and a danger to Equestria had been thwarted.

The ones who had been inside the Old Kingdom, however, were not part of the impromptu celebration. Twilight was recanting everything that had happened to them. The other bearers were nearby, listening and adding their own thoughts and recollections to the tale. Celestia listened intently, even as the glow of her regalia dimmed and subsided.

The Thorns had gathered together with Octavia already awake. Blue Moon had joined them and Lion Court was making a report. They already looked halfway to disappearing. Without Black Rose though, what else could they have planned?

Luna approached her brother, who had not stopped staring at the lake.

"That's number eight," Terrato said as soon as Luna took to his side. He had told off the medics that tried to help him, but he had taken to mending himself with bandages. "For the sake of his rebellious children, the King has broken his word. Even he is not exempt to rebelling against his rule after all."

"Yes," Luna said. She stared at the golden spear that Celestia had strapped to her back. In its dormant state, Aurea Gloriam looked like a simple pole of gold. Perhaps it won't be long until Luna and Terrato's regalia were restored as well. "This would be the eighth. The firstborn won't be long behind."

For the first time since he escaped the abyss, Terrato allowed himself a brief, tight, joyless smile. "Good," he said. "She won't have to wait long."

* * *

><p>Animus Arcem, loyal retainer of the Eternal Herd's current royal family, walked the great hall to the Silver Sanctum cautiously. Everything appeared normal so far, save for a lingering warmth in the air and a strange charge that made his fur tingle. The white stone floor and walls remained undamaged. The arched ceiling showed no danger of collapse. He was among the first to notice the surge of power of sunlight erupt from this place and he was the one, among all the stewards and elders alike, brave enough to investigate.<p>

The hall's sides were lined with statues of all those who led the Herd. The right held the ascendant, the left his or her mate. What was once a brief walk had turned into quite a stroll as each cycle brought a new occupant to this place. The first, Imperius Magnus, stood proud and strong on a pedestal by the entrance, the others followed in order. Two pairs of pedestals lay empty, however. The Sixth and whoever her mate was had vanished from all records, even this one. And, at the very end of the hall, a place was already set for the Seventeenth. Arcem passed them one by one, paying silent tribute each time. He paused briefly by the Fourth, recalling his personal encounter with Juste Canite, whose daughter now shared the Throne.

At the Sixteenth, Arcem stopped. Mighty Sanctus Dominus, his old friend, reared up from the pedestal, two swords flashing, wings outstretched and mouth open in a victorious cry. Dominus and Gratia had been too silent. The Herd was in chaos as a result. The Council of Elders had foolishly granted Gravitas permission to enter the other world "as a measure of security" Procul called it. Now, no word has come from Gravitas and things appeared even more chaotic in the other world. The Council floundered with its precautions and the royal children continued to be rebelliously set. Arcem knew that another crisis was bound to emerge, perhaps one worse than the void crisis or the first rebellion.

Suddenly, the double doors that led to the Silver Sanctum's antechamber opened. Arcem's heart leapt to his throat. There was nopony else here that could have gone ahead of him. Nopony could have opened that door save for-!

The burst of sunlight from the smallest crack between the doors turned that apprehension to joy. Arcem fell to his knees at once, his grin wide and his heart wild. 'Gird yourselves, Eternal Herd,' he thought. 'The Lord of Sunlight rises once more.'

"Arcem," an all too familiar voice called out from beyond the doors. The small crack grew wider now, and the sunlight made it difficult for Arcem to look directly.

"Yes, your majesty," Arcem replied. He could scarcely contain himself.

"Convene the Council of Elders. Send for my children. This silence is over."


	64. Onward

**Upheaval: Reckoning**

**Chapter 64: Onward**

"Hero of the Battle of Sky Mirror Lake," they called him. "Up there with Apple Slice, Ash Frost, and Moonrage," they said.

Vanguard Clash didn't feel too much like a hero. A day had passed since the events of Sky Mirror Lake. While most of the Legion forces in the Heartland where still cleaning up, he and a select few had been allowed to take the Night Skimmer back to Canterlot along with the royalty and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

Despite the best medical care, including healing spells cast by Princess Luna herself, Vanguard still felt as if his bones were made of splinters bound together with string. Walking hurt his legs; breathing hurt his ribs, even a mere turn of his neck hurt.

Now in Canterlot, with a room in the Royal Palace just for him, all the talk of "hero" soured in Vanguard's mouth. He didn't like this room. The mattress was warm and soft, the sheets fresh and fragrant. He had fresh fruit slices on a silver platter nearby and pressed clothes, fit for any court attendee ready for him. A guest of Equestria would consider himself pampered at this.

Except he wasn't a guest of Equestria. He was a legionnaire at its service. Despite the pain, he was going to walk out of this place, find Scarlet so he could get his armor back, then report for duty.

The clothes remained folded by his bedside, which was properly made long before the palace staff could get to his room. The silver platter was empty, more because he didn't want to waste fresh fruit than out of hunger. Upon opening the door, however, Vanguard instinctively took a step back.

A blond, orange-coated mare, one of the true heroes of Sky Mirror Lake, was standing outside Vanguard's room. Applejack's jaw dropped when the door opened while her front hoof was halfway towards knocking.

"V-Vanguard!" Applejack said. "What are you doing up? The princess said you should be resting for a few more days!"

Vanguard sized Applejack up, his eyes lingering on her own bandages. "I'd say the same for you," he said. He looked around. "No guards to keep an eye on the injured Element of Honesty. Security's getting lax."

"It ain't so bad for me," Applejack said. "I got off the lightest out everypony who went down the abysss." She stretched out her foreleg and grinned. "See? Almost as good as new!"

"Got off the lightest or recovered the fastest?" Vanguard asked. He tried to walk past her, but she pressed a hoof against his shoulder to keep him in place."

"Hold on there, partner," Applejack said. "I heard all about your insane heroics against the Coldsteel Construct. There's no way you're fit enough to get back to work!"

"Why don't you walk with me then, Applejack?" Vanguard asked. "If I keel over, you can haul me back to bed and lecture me. I won't move an inch without your permission after that."

Applejack paused for a second and eyed him closely. "You really mean that?" she asked. "You'll do as I say?"

"Of course," Vanguard said. "You know that I mean what I say."

Applejack grinned and trotted right next to Vanguard. "Yeah, you do. So where are you going?"

"Scarlet has my gear," Vanguard replied. He was already making his way for the Royal Palace's main doors. It was unlikely that Scarlet would have been allowed to loiter around this place. The local drinking holes would be his first targets.

Outside, the wintry clouds had relented for this day, allowing the morning rays to warm the chilly city air. The streets were even busier now. Supplies and personnel were constantly on the move, tending to the still returning forces from Sky Mirror Lake. The influx of changeling refugees had also given the city an air of tension. The changelings and their queen were given a small portion of the city to stay in until they could make the proper move back to their old territory. The Royal Guard had been tasked in making sure that they were kept both safe and accounted for.

Despite the grimmer atmosphere that Canterlot had taken, Applejack's grin widened as she stretched her back. "Land's sakes!" she said. "Back in the farm, I didn't think it was possible to miss the sun so badly! Not even during the winter!"

"The Old Kingdom was that bad, huh?" Vanguard said.

The grin lessened. "Terrible," Applejack said softly. "The abyss was even worse."

They moved away from the busier streets, keeping to the narrow alleyways that were unfit for wagons. Here, with fewer ponies about, Applejack's mood seemed to grow even more somber. Vanguard paused and stared at her. "Something you need to say?" he asked. "You came to my room after all."

"Actually, I…" Applejack stopped and pawed the ground. "I wanted to tell you something."

Vanguard didn't say anything, but he had no intention of moving. In this particular alleyway, there were no ponies around. Perhaps, with some distance from the gravity of the palace and away from the prying eyes of other ponies, Applejack found it easier to speak her mind.

Applejack scratched her head and took of her hat, pressing it against her chest. "When we thought we were stuck in that collapsing abyss, the prince told us to make peace with this world."

The cheery grin on Applejack's face had turned into a wan smile. "I…I couldn't. I had just come back here! I still had a lot to say to my folks back home. And…well…" She glanced at Vanguard and looked away, only to glance back at him from the corner of her eye. "Well, I needed to say something to you." She laughed nervously. "Funny, huh? That's twice I almost died now. Makes me think about making sure I say what I have to say."

"Applejack…" Vanguard hesitated, wondering if anything would be accomplished if he tried to divert the topic, if he even should or why he would want to.

"I love you."

Though she could barely look at him when she was struggling to say it, once the words were out, Applejack stared at Vanguard intently. It was his turn to be unsure of himself. Who was he and what had he done for these mares to be attracted to him? It wasn't right, as his instincts continued to remind him grimly. He would only be a liability to the Elements of Harmony, just one more pony to act as a weak point.

He needed time. Time to think things through. Time to…his front legs were moving on their own again. This time, the moon was nowhere in sight. No, this wasn't about moon rage. It wasn't about the wolven. He was a stallion and he was staring into the intense green eyes of a very beautiful earth pony mare. Applejack's breath felt warmth against his face, a soft contrast to the cool, crisp morning air, still carrying the mild aroma of freshly baked apple pie for breakfast. She smelled of fragrant soap, with a slight musky tinge; a clean, honest scent, no sting from perfume that he often encountered among Canterlot's citizens. 'Just feelings,' he reminded himself.

And those feelings were clearly making themselves known despite all of Vanguard's careful control. Applejack must have noticed. She drew closer hesitantly, her mouth slightly open, seemingly aware that she was having an effect on him. "Applejack," Vanguard said.

"Huh?" Applejack all but mumbled, her voice low and husky, her eyes half-lidded.

Vanguard put a hoof on her shoulder to both hold her steady and at a distance. "We'll be parting ways soon," was what he wanted to say.

It was true. As he lay there, recovering from his injuries and waiting for the royalty and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony to emerge from the Old Kingdom, he contended with a simple, crystal clear fact. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony would always be the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. That was the only group they belonged to, which meant that Applejack and Twilight Sparkle's stay in Third Squad, short as it may be, was over. His stay with the Elements of Harmony was over. With the threat of Black Rose gone and reunification running smoothly, he expected to be sent back to the north. When he got back there, he would rejoin the ranks of the rest of the Legion. To expect that he would continue to work with the Elements of Harmony was unreasonable and selfish. To complete his mission and ensure the smooth operation of the Elements of Harmony in the long run…that would be for the better.

But that fact was easier to consider and accept when he was alone with his thoughts. His roles were clear and acceptable. Things got murky once feelings got involved.

_"__Think about your own happiness."_

He didn't need to see Applejack or Twilight Sparkle or any of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony ever again…but he wanted to. He had asked for time, but it wasn't time he needed, just this courage to reach out for his own happiness for once. His foreleg softened and Applejack pressed just a bit closer. Her coat was warm against his and the scent of her breath so close started to tickle his nose.

What about Twilight? She had brushed against him, asked him about love, looked at him with that longing that made his heart ache and his legs shaky. Twilight, whom he held dearly and admired greatly. Twilight, who was bound for greatness. He was always worried for his newfound friends; worried about how'd they'd fit into the Legion, worried about where their paths to power would carry them. He worried for Twilight most of all and all those other things he felt for her; admiration and concern alike, overpowered love.

But Applejack…Applejack was a calming, reassuring presence. Applejack, who he worked next to with ease, Applejack, who didn't feel out of place sitting next to him by a campfire, or a bar, or in a fight. She called him partner. She probably used that word for any friend. He wasn't as free with the word. For her though...

"I love you too."

His face was but a few inches away from hers when he said that. No other words slipped out of either of them before their lips were too busy with other things besides words. Vanguard draped a foreleg around her and pulled her close and tight. For a while, Scarlet and reacquiring the nightsteel fullplate were forgotten.

Only one small thought nagged from the farthest corners of Vanguard's mind, like a stubborn little itch that would return with a vengeance later. He had to tell Twilight.

* * *

><p>When some of the Legion forces sent to Sky Mirror Lake returned to the capital, Canterlot Hospital finally experienced first-hoof the monstrous things that the Legion dealt with. The worst of the injured were flown in on airships. The Legion medics and the Heartland doctors they were working with soon found themselves flooded.<p>

The constructs of the Old Kingdom were not simply designed to kill. They were designed to inspire terror and reverence in both their enemies and allies alike. Their tools were menacing and inflicted gruesome wounds and horrifying deaths. A construct did not just kill, it made examples of. It showed to all what happened to those who denied Oceanus.

To Sablesteel, locked away in her own special hospital room, all of it sounded a lot like the blades. And, just like the blades, the constructs would have likely done a lot worse to the Legion if they were streamlined for efficiency. She snorted. Old Kingdom or Blackmoon Blades, fanatics often followed the same roads and they all ended in the same ruin once their cause disappeared.

'And I'm no different,' Sablesteel thought. She sat up and glanced at her room for a second before refocusing on her forelegs. They had stripped her of her gear to "treat her wounds". Of course. The legionnaires that carried them away handled them as if they were live, extremely pissed vipers. They should.

The only door was locked from the outside and the windows were barred. The room itself was bare, save for a small table that held a tray of untouched food and water. This was more dungeon cell than hospital room. That was to be expected to. They didn't have to. Her blades her broken. The greatest pony in the world was gone.

The other Thorns were likely in rooms similar to this one. Except for Blue Moon, of course. He likely had a cushy office to himself. It wouldn't be long for the others. Lion was an expert when it came to worming his way to favorable positions. He could talk his way through the suspicion. He hadn't done anything too terrible, at least none that could be linked to him. He could sell his skills and find new opportunities without trouble. Longstride was a bow with a fleshy, pony-shaped attachment to fire it for the wielder. Putting him to work now would be as easy as a living legionnaire picking up the weapons of a dead legionnaire next to him. As for Octavia…well, Octavia was a heartlander obviously manipulated by Black Rose with unfulfilled promises. Maybe they'll just send her home. Maybe they'll put her to work using the same promises Black Rose made.

The Thorns were done. The Legion wouldn't trust them as a group. They'll be made into individual agents, or subsumed into other groups. And as for Sablesteel…

_"__I'm alone again."_

The darkened bareness of this room was the same as the old family storehouse, the same as the tomb she laid her grandfather in, the same as the abyss. This bare room that held nothing and nopony...

"I'm alone again," Sablesteel whispered. Her shoulders quivered uncontrollably. She failed to stifle a sob. The blanket still covering her hind legs moistened with tears. Once more adrift, once more without a group and a cause she could call her own. She didn't want to face this again. She didn't want to go through that bleak, numb search all over again.

The door creaked. In an instant, Sable had wiped away the tears. If her breath wouldn't steady, she was going to hold it until it did. Her ears perked and her eyes narrowed.

"Hello," Princess Luna said as she closed the door behind her. The legionnaires outside continued to stare into the room until the door shut on them.

"Moon princess…" Sablesteel hissed. "We're d-!"

"My name is Luna and, no, we're not done here."

Sablesteel snorted. At least some of the despair seeped back into the darker recesses of her mind for now. "So the Legion has decided to torture me after all," she said. "What do you want from me, Princess Luna?"

Seeing no chair anywhere, Luna took to sitting on the floor. "To the point," she said. "You are a capable ally, Sablesteel: brave, strong, fast, and dedicated. I would like you to come into my service."

"Do you need me to spit on you again, Princess Luna?" Sablesteel asked.

"I would much rather you didn't."

Sablesteel flung the blanket away. "Why would I stoop to working for you?" she asked. "I have served the greatest pony in Equestria. A mare who had the nation's interest from beginning to end." She snorted again. "You tried to kill my ancestors because they didn't pat your back hard enough."

"Black Rose is dead," Luna said, her voice steely. "We must rescue her soul, but she is gone from this world. Nightmare Moon is also gone. So are the Starlight Sentinels, the Blackmoon Blades and a great many others." Her tone softened as Sablesteel's jaw clenched. "I am not the greatest pony in Equestria. You are not what I envisioned what the Starlight Sentinels would be…but you and I, we're still here."

Luna let out a sigh and glanced away briefly. Sablesteel relaxed a bit and sat back. Her heart was still pounding from the sudden rage and constant tension, but she was more curious now than sad or angry. She breathed in slowly and closed her eyes in an effort to get the puffiness down. She had sacrificed enough dignity to the moon princess as it is.

"Neither of us is what we had hoped we would have, but we are the present and we have only onward to move." She looked at Sablesteel, eyes even more resolute than when she first came in. "We can never get back what we have lost in this world, but we can gain other things. Through you, I shall accomplish what I failed with in the Starlight Sentinels. Through me, you shall take that next step that your grandfather and Black Rose had meant for you to. Will you join my service?"

It took a long moment of silence, but a single eye, as blue as a clear summer sky, looked at the princess.

* * *

><p>It was late afternoon by the time Twilight Sparkle felt strong enough to get up and walk around the palace. The others were still resting. Most of them anyway.<p>

Applejack was not in her room. The nearby guards said she had walked out of there in the morning and hadn't come back. Rainbow Dash had apparently tried to follow suit after Applejack left. When the guards found her nearly collapsed in one hallway, they put her back in her room with threats of tying her to the bed and locking her there. Fluttershy's room was the busiest, with several doctors and unicorn magi, including Blue Moon, taking a better look at her ruined eye. She didn't seem to mind. That dark presence about her during their stay in the abyss seemed to have either retreated or was content to stay silent. Rarity was enjoying the pampering from the palace staff. Delicacies were delivered to her room along with a masseuse, fresh flowers, and various beverages. As for Pinkie Pie, she dozed through the day, her snores audible behind the closed doors of her room. A pony calling himself Copper Mane had arrived earlier, but left when he saw how exhausted Pinkie was.

Twilight made her way towards the audience hall. She had tried to rest up some more, knowing that she needed all her strength soon enough, but the need to know what was going to happen next only left her tossing and turning.

The audience hall was surprisingly empty. Twilight had expected a long line of nobles still presenting their complaints to the princess. Perhaps the sight of the injured making their way to Canterlot had pulled the city together into a united effort. Major issues had been settled earlier in the day and the minor ones were set aside. Perhaps nopony dared to ask for an audience when they saw the heavily wounded Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

If there were no audiences, Twilight had a good idea of where the princess might spend the rest of the day. She made her way towards Princess Celestia's favorite balcony. On the tallest tower of the Royal Palace, facing the east, Celestia could spend hours just looking at the horizon. There were guards stationed along the way. Anypony else would have been turned away sternly if they came through the halls and the long stairway. The guards simply gave Twilight a quick glance before letting her through.

And Twilight was right, Princess Celestia sat by that balcony, her wings stretched to take in some of the late afternoon sun. She had no armor on anymore, not even her usual jewelry. That radiant spear that saved them all at the last second was nowhere in sight. As soon as Twilight stepped into the balcony, Celestia turned towards her and smiled. "Feeling better?" she asked.

"Yes," Twilight replied. She looked over the bandages around Celestia. "What about you?"

Celestia's tone saddened. "These wounds are nothing. Small cuts for one privileged enough to sit by sidelines while others dove into the abyss. I haven't thanked and congratulated you yet, Twilight. Thank you for saving my brother and stopping the threat of both the Old Kingdom and the firstborn's throne. You have come so far in such a short time."

"I wasn't alone," Twilight said with a shake of her head. "It took everypony's power to save Equestria! We wouldn't have made it out if it wasn't for you!"

"Not me," Celestia said. She stared off at a distance. "It was my father's will that pulled you from the collapsing abyss." She suddenly looked to one side and towards a sight that Twilight had not noticed before. On a lonely section of Mount Unicornia, a strange structure had appeared. Like a black needle jutting towards the sky, a lone tower of black glass stuck out of the snow. It must be a massive, graceful tower up close. When had it been constructed? How was it done so quickly? Twilight had a good guess. Prince Terrato had not been sighted in Canterlot ever since their return. "And there were other sacrifices too," Celestia said, confirming those thoughts.

"Princess…" Twilight hesitated. Should she insist that Celestia had also done her part? Or would that be too patronizing? Besides, she was here for something else besides deciding where the credit for saving Equestria went. "Princess, where do we go from here?" she asked. "What do we do now?"

Celestia's look hardened. "Our path is clear," she said. "The eighth rebellion has come to pass. The firstborn stirs in the depths and my father emerges from the Silver Sanctum. The two thrones will eventually clash and I will do everything in my power to save Equestria."

_"__Protect Equestria."_

Twilight nodded. That was a stupid question now that she looked back to it. "But what will be our next move?" she asked.

The hard look softened and Celestia's smile was back. "Fortunately, that part has been provided. The King has summoned me and my siblings. Once me make the proper preparations, we shall depart for the Eternal Herd for a short while." Celestia looked briefly above her, straight into the sky. "He summoned us a long time ago and I disobeyed. Yet, when I asked for his aid, he gave it. I would never be able to bear the shame if I refused this summons now."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Y-you're leaving?" she asked. "But what if something happens here that needs you attention? What about Wolvengard, Ursinium, and Ophidus? What about the reunification?"

"Wolvengard is in no position to suddenly attack us," Celestia said as she looked back to Twilight. "The Herd has also already entered talks with their heavenly realms. We will not leave this world until we are assured that we can return with Equestria still intact." She surveyed the city below. "I have a great deal of confidence, much more than what I had in the past thanks to what you have shown me. I know Equestria will stand strong while we're away."

Twilight smiled back. It was an odd feeling, like being tickled from the inside. She had never thought that she could ever teach her teacher anything.

Celestia's smile widened. "But my siblings and I aren't the only ones going. The King has also requested for your presence, Twilight Sparkle. You shall make the trip with us."

The pleasantly odd feeling fell along with Twilight's jaw. "Wait…what?" She stared at Celestia incredulously. "I'm going to meet the King? As in the King of the Eternal Herd?"

"His name is Sanctus Dominus, by the way," Celestia said. "I'll have to find time to instruct you with the proper greetings. He won't mind a mild breach of conduct, but the court will certainly be scandalized."

"B-but-! What will say to him? Do I have to wear something? Am I supposed to do something for him?" Twilight's breathing quickened. "What if-! What if I end convincing him to blow up Equestria anyway?"

"Twilight." Celestia draped a wing over Twilight and held her close. "You will do just fine," she said softly. "You have always done just fine."

"Why am I the only one being summoned?" Twilight asked. "What about the rest of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony? Won't he want to meet them to?"

Celestia put a hoof to her chin. "He asked for the Element of Magic specifically. I would still bring the others otherwise, but the wording has been specific. Only the Element of Magic. It only grows odder that Regia Carnifex is not even mentioned." She frowned briefly. "I am sensing my mother's hoof in this."

"Is that bad?"

"Truly, I do not know." Celestia's frown disappeared. "But I'm not too worried. We will see this through."

Twilight exhaled, finding comfort under her mentor's wings. She paused for a moment and looked up at the princess again. "What about the others? What will they do while we're off to the Eternal Herd?"

"You can tell, can't you?" Celestia said. "The Element of Magic lies at the center of the formation. You may not see specifics, but I think you already know that something is happening. I can sense it too. Each of them has an individual fate tugging at them. With the most present crises settled and the most dangerous threat still at the horizon, now will be the time to see to them."

"So we'll be parting ways…" Twilight looked to the floor. "Just when I thought we could have a breather and be together for a while."

"I'm sorry," Celestia said. "The days have been strange lately. They will only grow stranger from here on end."

Twilight shook her head. "No, I understand," she said. "Fighting the Six Companions taught me that more than ever. I believe in each of my friends. When I return, I know they will be there, stronger than ever."

Both teacher and student stared out at the horizon as Celestia willed the sun to set behind them. It was only beginning to get dark, but, on this spot, they already anticipated the new day.


End file.
